CN110740149B

CN110740149B - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN110740149B
Application number: CN201810799264.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李汉成; 吴问付; 周汉
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-07-19
Filing date: 2018-07-19
Publication date: 2021-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-19
Also published as: CN110740149A; WO2020015710A1; US11856632B2; EP3787258A4; EP3787258B1; US20210092792A1; EP3787258A1; US20240129994A1

Abstract

The application discloses a communication method and a communication device, relates to the field of communication, and is used for realizing a forwarding path between AN AN network element and a DN on a UPF network element. The communication method comprises the following steps: a session management function network element acquires first information for identifying a data stream, wherein the first information is used for indicating a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; a session management function network element sends first information to a user plane function network element and/or an access network element; the session management function network element acquires second information, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream at the data network side; and the session management function network element sends the second information to the user plane function network element.

Description

Communication method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus.

Background

In the forwarding process of the conventional ethernet network, when a large amount of data packets arrive at a forwarding port in a moment, the problem of large forwarding delay or packet loss is caused, so that the conventional ethernet network cannot provide a service with high reliability and guaranteed transmission delay, and cannot meet the requirements in the fields of automobile control, industrial internet and the like. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) defines a relevant Time Sensitive Network (TSN) network standard for the requirement of reliable time delay transmission, and the identification provides reliable time delay transmission service based on two-layer switching, guarantees the reliability of time delay sensitive service data transmission, and also guarantees predictable end-to-end transmission time delay.

A TSN network may be established between AN Access Network (AN) network element and a User Plane Function (UPF) network element, where a user packet is transmitted through a data stream in the TSN network, and the data stream may be based on a GPRS tunnel protocol-user plane (GTP-U) protocol shown in fig. 1 or based on a two-layer protocol. User packets are also transmitted between a UPF network element and a Data Network (DN) (or other UPF network element) via a data stream. The UPF network element is responsible for forwarding user messages between the AN network element and the DN.

Because the data flow between the AN network element and the UPF network element and the data flow between the UPF network element and the DN are independent, for the data flow from one side, the UPF network element cannot match the corresponding data flow on the other side to transmit the user message. Due to the above reasons, the UPF network element cannot establish a forwarding path between the AN network element and the DN to forward the user packet.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for realizing a forwarding path between AN AN network element and a DN on a UPF network element.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the embodiment of the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

in a first aspect, a communication method is provided, including: a session management function network element acquires first information for identifying a data stream, wherein the first information is used for indicating a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; a session management function network element sends first information to a user plane function network element and/or an access network element; the session management function network element acquires second information, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream at the data network side; and the session management function network element sends the second information to the user plane function network element. In the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, the SMF network element acquires first information and second information, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through a data stream and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element. The second information is used for indicating the UPF network element to transmit the forwarding rule of the user flow at the DN side. That is, the first information indicates a data flow transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. The SMF network element sends the first information and the second information to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element can determine how the data stream is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the first information and determine how the data stream is transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN according to the second information, and a forwarding path between the AN network element and the DN is realized on the UPF network element.

In one possible implementation, the obtaining, by a session management function network element, first information identifying a data flow includes: the session management function network element sends an equipment identifier of an access network element, an equipment identifier of a user plane function network element and first indication information to the control equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the access network element is a sending end or a receiving end; and the session management function network element receives first information corresponding to the equipment identifier of the access network element, the equipment identifier of the user plane function network element and the first indication information from the control equipment. This embodiment provides a way for a session management function network element to obtain first information identifying a data flow.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: a session management function network element sends first bandwidth information to a control device, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between an access network element and a user plane function network element; the session management function network element receives, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, and the first indication information, and the method includes: the session management function network element receives first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information and the first bandwidth information from the control device. This embodiment provides another way for a session management function network element to obtain first information identifying a data flow.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the session management function network element receives second bandwidth information from the terminal equipment, wherein the second bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal equipment; and the session management functional network element obtains the first bandwidth information according to the second bandwidth information. This embodiment provides a way for a session management function network element to obtain first bandwidth information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the session management function network element obtains the first indication information according to the second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send or receive the user stream. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the first indication information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the session management function network element receives the second indication information from the terminal equipment. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, the obtaining, by a session management function network element, first information identifying a data flow includes: the session management function network element receives the first information from the control device. This embodiment provides yet another way for the session management function network element to obtain the first information identifying the data flow.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the session management function network element obtains the device identifier of the user plane function network element according to the third indication information, wherein the third indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the device identifier of the user plane function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining, by the session management function network element according to the third indication information, the device identifier of the user plane function network element includes: the session management function network element sends third indication information to the first network element; the session management function network element receives the device identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the third indication information from the first network element; the first network element is a network function storage function network element or a control device. This embodiment provides another way for the session management function network element to obtain the device identifier of the user plane function network element.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the session management function network element receives the third indication information from the access network element or the access and mobility management network element. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the third indication information.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining, by the session management function network element, the second information includes: the session management function network element receives the second information from at least one of the following network elements: the network function storage function network element, the control equipment, the application function network element at the data network side or the centralized user configuration network element at the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the second information.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining, by the session management function network element, the second information includes: and the session management functional network element obtains the second information according to the information for identifying the user flow or the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side. This embodiment provides another way for the session management function network element to obtain the second information.

In one possible embodiment, the second information includes: the method comprises the following steps that a reliable time delay transmission network identification of a user flow at a data network side, or a port identification of a user plane function network element at the data network side is transmitted by the user flow, wherein the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side is associated with the port identification of the user plane function network element at the data network side. This embodiment provides which information the second information may specifically comprise.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the session management function network element receives third bandwidth information from the terminal equipment, wherein the third bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the third bandwidth information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the session management function network element receives third information from the terminal device or a server on the data network side, wherein the third information includes at least one of the following information: the identification of the user flow, the target Media Access Control (MAC) address of the user flow and the flow characteristics of the user flow; and the session management function network element sends the third information to a user plane function network element or an application function network element at the data network side or a centralized user configuration network element at the data network side. This embodiment enables a user plane functional network element or an application functional network element at the data network side or a centralized user configuration network element at the data network side to distinguish user flows.

In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, including: the method comprises the steps that terminal equipment sends first indication information to a session management function network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send or receive user streams and determining that an access network element is a sending end or a receiving end which transmits the user streams through data streams, and the first indication information is used for creating the user streams; the terminal equipment sends at least one of the following information to the session management function network element: identification of the user flow, destination MAC address of the user flow, flow characteristics of the user flow. In the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device sends, to the session management function network element, information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives a user stream, that is, the direction of the user stream is indicated, and the terminal device also sends, to the session management function network element, information identifying the user stream (an identifier of the user stream, a destination MAC address of the user stream, and a stream characteristic of the user stream), so that the core network side device can determine the data stream direction according to the user stream direction and identify the user stream according to the information identifying the user stream.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the terminal equipment sends first bandwidth information to the session management function network element, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal equipment or bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for a session management function network element to obtain first bandwidth information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the terminal equipment sends the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side and/or the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side to the session management function network element. The embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the data network side and/or the service information of the user stream in the network on the data network side.

In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, including: the control equipment obtains first information for identifying the data stream according to the equipment identification of the access network element, the equipment identification of the user plane function network element and first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the access network element is a sending end or a receiving end which communicates through the data stream, the first information is used for indicating that the sending end sends the data stream through the data stream and is also used for indicating that the receiving end receives the user stream through the data stream; and the control equipment sends the first information to a session management function network element. In the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, the control device acquires first information and sends the first information to the SMF network element, where the first information is used to instruct the sending end to send the user stream through the data stream and also used to instruct the receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element. The first information may indicate a data flow transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. So that the AN network element and the UPF network element can determine how the data stream is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the first information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the control equipment acquires first bandwidth information, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between an access network element and a user plane function network element; the control device obtains first information for identifying the data stream according to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element and the first indication information, and the method comprises the following steps: the control device obtains first information according to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information and the first bandwidth information. This embodiment provides a way of controlling the device to obtain the first information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the control equipment receives the equipment identification of the access network element, the equipment identification of the user plane function network element and the first indication information from the session management function network element. This embodiment provides a way for the control device to obtain the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, and the first indication information.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the control device receives second indication information from the session management function network element, wherein the second indication information comprises at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side; and the control equipment sends the equipment identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the second indication information to the session management function network element. This embodiment provides a way for the session management function network element to obtain the device identifier of the user plane function network element.

In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, including: the method comprises the steps that a user plane function network element receives first information for identifying a data stream from a session management function network element, the first information is used for indicating a sending end to send the user stream through the data stream and indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, an access end is an access network element, the sending end is the user plane function network element, or the access end is the user plane function network element, and the sending end is the access network element; and the user plane function network element receives second information from the session management function network element, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream on the data network side. According to the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, the UPF network element can determine how the data stream is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the first information, determine how the data stream is transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN according to the second information, and realize a forwarding path between the AN network element and the DN on the UPF network element.

In a possible implementation manner, when the second information includes a reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the data network side, the communication method further includes: and the user plane functional network element obtains the port identification of the user plane functional network element for transmitting the user stream on the data network side according to the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user stream on the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for the user plane functional network element how to determine the port identification of the transport user stream on the data network side.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the user plane function network element sends the port identification of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream on the data network side to the session management function network element. This embodiment provides a way for the session management network element to obtain the port identifier of the user plane functional network element transmitting the user stream on the data network side.

In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, including: the network function storage function network element receives first indication information from the session management function network element, wherein the first indication information comprises at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side; the access network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, or the access network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream; and the network function storage function network element sends the equipment identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the first indication information to the session management function network element. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application enables the session management function network element to select the user plane function network element for establishing the forwarding path between the AN network element and the DN.

In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: and the network function storage function network element sends first information to the session management network element, wherein the first information is used for indicating a port of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream at the data network side. This embodiment provides a way for the session management network element to obtain the first information.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, configured to perform the communication method described in the first aspect and the various possible implementations of the first aspect.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, configured to perform the communication method described in the foregoing second aspect and various possible implementations of the second aspect.

In an eighth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, configured to perform the communication methods described in the foregoing third aspect and various possible implementations of the third aspect.

In a ninth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, configured to perform the communication methods described in the foregoing fourth aspect and various possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

In a tenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, configured to perform the communication method described in the foregoing fifth aspect and various possible implementations of the fifth aspect.

In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes the communication apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the communication apparatus according to the eighth aspect, the communication apparatus according to the ninth aspect, and the communication apparatus according to the tenth aspect.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory being configured to store a program, the processor calling the program stored in the memory to perform the communication method according to the first aspect and the various possible embodiments of the first aspect, or to perform the communication method according to the second aspect and the various possible embodiments of the second aspect, or to perform the communication method according to the third aspect and the various possible embodiments of the third aspect, or to perform the communication method according to the fourth aspect and the various possible embodiments of the fourth aspect, or to perform the communication method according to the fifth aspect and the various possible embodiments of the fifth aspect.

In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, where the computer program, when executed by a processor, performs the communication methods described in the first aspect and the various possible implementations of the first aspect, or performs the communication methods described in the second aspect and the various possible implementations of the second aspect, or performs the communication methods described in the third aspect and the various possible implementations of the third aspect, or performs the communication methods described in the fourth aspect and the various possible implementations of the fourth aspect, or performs the communication methods described in the fifth aspect and the various possible implementations of the fifth aspect.

In a fourteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, which, when run on a communication apparatus, causes the communication apparatus to perform the communication methods described in the foregoing first aspect and various possible implementations of the first aspect, or perform the communication methods described in the foregoing second aspect and various possible implementations of the second aspect, or perform the communication methods described in the foregoing third aspect and various possible implementations of the third aspect, or perform the communication methods described in the foregoing fourth aspect and various possible implementations of the fourth aspect, or perform the communication methods described in the foregoing fifth aspect and various possible implementations of the fifth aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, including: a processor configured to enable the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to the first aspect and the various possible embodiments of the first aspect, or perform the communication method according to the second aspect and the various possible embodiments of the second aspect, or perform the communication method according to the third aspect and the various possible embodiments of the third aspect, or perform the communication method according to the fourth aspect and the various possible embodiments of the fourth aspect, or perform the communication method according to the fifth aspect and the various possible embodiments of the fifth aspect.

Technical effects of the sixth to fifteenth aspects may be as described with reference to the first to fifth aspects.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a GTP-U protocol stack provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic architecture diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an ethernet frame format according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a two-layer switching principle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a TSN network according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a GTP-U pipe or a two-layer pipe between AN network element and AN UPF network element created in a TSN network according to AN embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a TSN pipe packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a first schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a second schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a third schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a fourth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a fifth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 16 is a sixth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 17 is a seventh schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 18 is an eighth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 19 is a ninth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 20 is a tenth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21A is an eleventh schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21B is a twelfth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21C is a thirteenth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21D is a fourteenth schematic diagram illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21E is a fifteen diagram illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21F is a sixteenth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21G is a seventeenth schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21H is an eighteen schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 22 is a first schematic structural diagram of a first communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 23 is a second schematic structural diagram of a first communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 24 is a first schematic structural diagram of a second communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 25 is a second schematic structural diagram of a second communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 26 is a first schematic structural diagram of a third communications apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 27 is a second schematic structural diagram of a third communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 28 is a first schematic structural diagram of a fourth communications apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 29 is a second schematic structural diagram of a fourth communications apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 30 is a first schematic structural diagram of a fifth communications apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 31 is a second schematic structural diagram of a fifth communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The embodiment of the present application is described by depending on a scenario of a 5G network in a wireless communication network, and it should be noted that the scheme in the embodiment of the present application may also be applied to other wireless communication networks, and corresponding names may also be replaced by names of corresponding functions in other wireless communication networks.

As shown in fig. 2, the communication system architecture provided by the embodiment of the present application includes: a terminal device 201, a (radio) access network (R) AN network element 202, AN access and mobility management function (AMF) network element 203, a Session Management Function (SMF) network element 204, a User Plane Function (UPF) network element 205, a network function storage function (NRF) network element 206, a centralized user configuration (cpu) network element 207, a Centralized Network Configuration (CNC) network element 208, and AN Application Function (AF) network element 209. Optionally, the communication system may further include a control (controller) device 210.

It should be noted that in one possible design, the control device 210 may be arranged in conjunction with the SMF network element 204. In other words, the functions of the control device 210 may be performed by the SMF network element 204. In another possible design, the control device 210 may be arranged in conjunction with the CUC network element 207. In other words, the functions of the control device 210 may be performed by the CUC network element 207. Furthermore, the SMF network element 204 may be arranged in conjunction with the CUC network element 207. For example, the functions of CUC network element 207 may all be performed by SMF network element 204.

It should be noted that the interface name between each network element in the figure is only an example, and the interface name may be other names in a specific implementation, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application. For example, AN interface between the terminal device 201 and the AMF network element 203 may be AN N1 interface, AN interface between the AN network element 202 and the AMF network element 203 may be AN N2 interface, AN interface between the AN network element 202 and the UPF network element 205 may be AN N3 interface, AN interface between the UPF network element 205 and the SMF network element 204 may be AN N4 interface, AN interface between the AMF network element 203 and the SMF network element 204 may be AN N11 interface, and AN interface between the UPF network element 205 and a data network (data network, DN) may be AN N6 interface.

The terminal device 201 referred to in the embodiments of the present application may include various handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem with wireless communication capability; a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a cellular phone (cellular phone), a smart phone (smart phone), a wireless data card, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) computer, a tablet computer, a wireless modem (modem), a handheld device (dhhand), a laptop computer (laptop computer), a cordless phone (cordless phone) or a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) terminal, a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Station (MS), a terminal equipment (terminal device) or a relay user equipment, etc. may also be included. The relay user equipment may be, for example, a 5G home gateway (RG). For convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices may be collectively referred to as terminal devices.

Taking the terminal device 201 as a mobile phone as an example, a hardware architecture of the mobile phone will be described. As shown in fig. 3, the handset 201 may include: radio Frequency (RF) circuitry 300, memory 320, other input devices 330, display screen 340, sensors 350, audio circuitry 360, I/O subsystem 370, processor 380, and power supply 390. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the configuration of the handset shown in the figures is not intended to be limiting and may include more or fewer components than those shown, or some components may be combined, some components may be separated, or a different arrangement of components may be used. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the display screen 340 belongs to a User Interface (UI), and the display screen 340 may include a display panel 341 and a touch panel 342. Although not shown, the mobile phone may further include a camera, a bluetooth module, and other functional modules or devices, which are not repeated here.

Further, processor 380 is coupled to RF circuitry 300, memory 320, audio circuitry 360, I/O subsystem 370, and power supply 390, respectively. The I/O subsystem 370 is coupled to the other input devices 330, the display screen 340, and the sensor 350, respectively. The RF circuit 300 may be used for receiving and transmitting signals during information transmission and reception or a call, and in particular, for receiving downlink information from a network device and then sending the downlink information to the processor 380 for processing. Memory 320 may be used to store software programs and modules. The processor 380 executes various functional applications and data processing of the mobile phone, for example, methods and functions of the terminal device in the embodiment of the present application, by executing the software programs and modules stored in the memory 320. Other input devices 330 may be used to receive entered numeric or character information and generate keypad signal inputs relating to user settings and function controls of the handset. The display screen 340 may be used to display information input by or provided to the user and various menus of the cellular phone, and may also accept user input. The sensor 350 may be a light sensor, a motion sensor, or other sensor. The audio circuit 360 may provide an audio interface between the user and the handset. The I/O subsystem 370 is used to control input and output peripherals, which may include other device input controllers, sensor controllers, display controllers. The processor 380 is a control center of the mobile phone 201, connects various parts of the whole mobile phone by using various interfaces and lines, and performs various functions of the mobile phone and processes data by operating or executing software programs and/or modules stored in the memory 320 and calling data stored in the memory 320, thereby performing overall monitoring of the mobile phone. A power supply 390 (e.g., a battery) is used to supply power to the above components, and preferably, the power supply may be logically connected to the processor 380 through a power management system, so as to manage charging, discharging, and power consumption functions through the power management system. In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device 201 may receive a signal from the AN network element 202 through the RF circuit 300.

AN network element 202 is a device that provides wireless access to terminal device 201. The AN network element 202 includes, but is not limited to, AN eNodeB, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) base station, and the like.

Taking AN network element 202 as a base station as AN example, a hardware architecture of the base station is described. As shown in fig. 4, the base station 202 may include a building Base Band Unit (BBU) 401 and a Remote Radio Unit (RRU) 402, where the RRU 402 is connected to an antenna feed system (i.e., an antenna) 403, and the BBU 401 and the RRU 402 may be detached for use as needed. Wherein, BBU 401 may include a processor 431, a memory 432, and a bus system 433, and processor 431 and memory 432 of BBU 401 are connected to each other through bus system 433. The bus system may be a peripheral component interconnect standard bus or an extended industry standard architecture bus, or the like. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one line is shown, but this does not represent only one bus or one type of bus. RRU 402 may include RF circuitry 434 and base station 202 may also include optical fiber 435, coaxial cable 436. The RF circuitry 434 in RRU 402 and BBU 401 are interconnected by optical fiber 435, and the RF circuitry 434 in RRU 402 and antenna 403 are interconnected by coaxial cable 436. The base stations may include various forms of base stations, such as: macro base stations, micro base stations (also referred to as small stations), relay stations, access points, etc. The AN network element 202 according to the embodiment of the present application is used for transmitting data between the terminal device 201 and the core network device.

The AMF network element 203 may be responsible for mobility management in the mobile network, such as user location update, user registration network, user handover, etc.

The SMF element 204 may be responsible for session management in the mobile network, such as session establishment, modification, and release, and specifically, the SMF element has a function of allocating an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a user, and selecting a UPF element providing a message forwarding function.

The UPF network element 205 may be responsible for processing the user packet, such as forwarding, charging, and the like.

The NRF network element 206 may provide functions such as network function instance registration, discovery, etc.

The CUC network element 207 and the CNC network element 208 are control devices in a Time Sensitive Network (TSN) network. The CUC network element 207 is configured to manage terminals and services, for example, receive registration of a sending end (talker) and a receiving end (listener) in a TSN network element, exchange configuration parameters, and the like. The CNC network element 208 is used to manage the switching nodes in the TSN network, for example, maintain the topology of the TSN network, calculate the scheduling policy on the switching nodes, and issue the scheduling policy to the switching nodes.

AF network element 209 is used to provide various types of application services.

The control device 210 is configured to manage the TSN network between the AN network element 202 and the UPF network element 205.

The network elements, such as the AMF network element 203, the SMF network element 204, the UPF network element 205, the NRF network element 206, and the control device 210, may be collectively referred to as core network elements, and the following describes the structure of the core network elements by taking a network device as an example.

As shown in fig. 5, the network device 500 may include at least one processor 501, communication lines 502, memory 503, and at least one communication interface 504. The processor 501 may be a general-purpose Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more ics for controlling the execution of programs in accordance with the present disclosure. The communication link 502 may include a path for transmitting information between the aforementioned components. The communication interface 504 may be any device, such as a transceiver, for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as an ethernet, a Radio Access Network (RAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc. The memory 503 may be, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be separate and coupled to the processor via a communication line 502. The memory may also be integral to the processor. The memory 503 is used for storing computer-executable instructions (which may be referred to as application program codes) for executing the present application, and is controlled by the processor 501. The processor 501 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 503 to implement the methods provided by the embodiments of the present application described below.

In the forwarding process of the conventional ethernet network, when a large amount of data packets arrive at the forwarding port of the control device 210 at an instant, the problem of large forwarding delay or packet loss is caused, so that the conventional ethernet network cannot provide services with high reliability and guaranteed transmission delay, and cannot meet the requirements in the fields of automobile control, industrial internet, and the like. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has defined a related TSN network standard for the requirement of reliable delay transmission, which provides reliable delay transmission service based on two-layer switching, ensures the reliability of delay-sensitive traffic data transmission, and predictable end-to-end transmission delay.

The two-layer switching belongs to link layer switching, and performs forwarding based on a Media Access Control (MAC) address, and the control device 210 obtains a forwarding port by querying a MAC learning table, and forwards an address that is not recorded in the MAC learning table in a broadcast manner. As shown in fig. 6, the ethernet frame format of the two-layer encapsulated packet is shown, where a Destination Address (DA) represents a destination MAC address, a source address (source address, SA) represents a source MAC address, a TYPE (TYPE) represents an ethernet TYPE of the ethernet frame, DATA (DATA) represents a DATA segment, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is used to detect or check an error that may occur after DATA transmission or storage. When the ethernet frame carries Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) information, a VLAN TAG (TAG) is added between an SA field and a TYPE field, including an ethernet TYPE value (TYPE 2)0x8100, a PRIORITY (PRIORITY) field, a standard format indicator (CFI) field, and a VLAN ID field. The ethertype value 0x8100 is also called a Tag Protocol Identifier (TPID) in the VLAN tag, which may be other values as well. The ethernet frame of the two-layer encapsulated packet may have no VLAN tag or at least one VLAN tag. Note that the ethertype (type 1) of the ethernet frame is independent of the ethertype value (type 2) in the TAG.

As shown in fig. 7, for the two-layer switching principle, the switching device 701 stores an MAC learning table, records the correspondence between the user MAC address and the port, and if forwarding is based on the VLAN and the MAC address, it may also include the corresponding VLAN information. When receiving a message with a destination address of MAC4 from port 1, the switching device queries the MAC learning table to obtain port information corresponding to MAC4 as port 2, and then sends the message out from port 2. The entry of MAC4 in the MAC learning table is learned when port 2 receives a message with a source MAC address of MAC4, or can be obtained through configuration.

As shown in fig. 8, the TSN network includes switching nodes (switching node 1, switching node 2, and switching node 3 in the figure) and data terminals (data terminal 1 and data terminal 2 in the figure). Data streams in the TSN network are unidirectional streams, and for one data stream, a data terminal includes a sender (talker) and a receiver (listener). The TSN standard defines the behavior of data terminals and switching nodes and the scheduling manner in which the switching nodes forward data streams, thereby achieving reliable delay transmission. The switching node in the TSN takes the destination MAC address of the message as the information for identifying the data stream, and performs resource reservation and scheduling planning according to the time delay requirement of the user stream to be transmitted, thereby ensuring the time delay and reliability of message transmission according to the generated scheduling strategy.

As shown in fig. 8, the TSN network currently includes two resource reservation and management methods:

the first method is as follows: the forwarding channel is created by a Stream Reservation Protocol (SRP). Assuming that the data terminal 1 in the figure is a sender (talker), before it sends a data stream, resource reservation is performed on a switching node between the sender and a receiver through an SRP protocol. For example, the following process may be included:

(a) and the data terminal 1 sends an SRP request message to the switching node 1, where the SRP request message includes information for identifying a data stream, a VLAN, a class of service (CoS), delay information, and the like. Wherein the information identifying the data flow may include a flow Identification (ID) and/or a destination MAC address of the data flow; VLAN and CoS are used for identifying the TSN forwarding domain; the delay information is used to determine whether the forwarding path satisfies the delay requirement of the data flow. After receiving the SRP request message, the switching node 1 superimposes the delay information in the SRP request on the pre-timing delay of the node, and broadcasts the SRP request message on the ports (ports 3 and 4) in the TSN network. Both switching node 2 and switching node 3 receive the SRP request message, and since switching node 3 is currently located only in the same TSN network as switching node 1, it is not forwarded to other switching nodes. Because the switching node 2 and the data terminal 2 are located in the same TSN network, after receiving the SRP request message, the switching node 2 superimposes the delay information in the SRP request on the expected delay of its own node, and then sends the SRP request message to the data terminal 2 on the port (port 3) in the TSN network.

(b) After receiving the SRP request message, the data terminal 2 determines, according to the information identifying the data stream in the SRP request message and the application information, that the SRP request message corresponds to the data stream that the data terminal needs to receive, and sends an SRP response message from the port that receives the SRP request message when the delay information meets the preset requirement. Wherein the application information may be obtained by configuration or received from other network elements.

(c) After receiving the SRP response message, switching node 2 and switching node 1 in the TSN network reserve bandwidth and scheduling resources, and then forward the SRP response message from the port receiving the SRP request message.

Through the above process, a forwarding channel is created between the sending end and the receiving end, and each switching node reserves relevant resources according to the SRP request; and then, when receiving the data stream sent by the sending end, each switching node carries out scheduling forwarding according to the reserved resources, thereby ensuring the time delay and reliability of message transmission.

The second method comprises the following steps: IEEE defines a centralized management approach in 802.1 QCC. The management plane comprises a CUC network element and a CNC network element, wherein the CUC network element is used for managing terminals and services, such as receiving registration of a sending terminal and a receiving terminal, exchanging configuration parameters and the like; the CNC network element manages the switching node in the TSN network, for example, maintains the topology of the TSN network, calculates the scheduling policy on the switching node, and issues the scheduling policy to the switching node. For example, the following process may be included:

(d) and the CUC network element receives a registration request of a data terminal serving as a sending end or a receiving end of the TSN network, wherein the request comprises indication information indicating that the data terminal is the sending end or the receiving end, information for identifying data streams, bandwidth requirements, time delay requirements and the like.

(e) And after receiving the information, the CUC network element sends a request for creating the data stream to the CNC network element.

(f) Before creating the data stream, the CNC network element will generate the topology of the TSN network, such as the connection topology between the switching nodes and the data terminals. After receiving a request for creating a data stream from a CUC network element, the CNC network element calculates a forwarding path in the TSN network and a scheduling strategy of each switching node on the path according to the bandwidth requirement, the time delay requirement and the like of the data stream, and then issues the strategy to the corresponding switching node.

In this embodiment, the AN network element and the UPF network element are a sending end and a receiving end of data stream communication in the TSN network, respectively. For convenience of description, in the embodiments of the present application, forwarding channels for transmitting data streams between AN network element and AN UPF network element are collectively referred to as TSN pipes, and the TSN pipes may include multiple types of forwarding channels, such as GTP-U pipes, two-layer pipes, virtual transmission pipe systems, and the like.

As shown in fig. 9, is a schematic diagram of a GTP-U pipe or a two-layer pipe between AN network element and a UPF network element created in a TSN network. The GTP-U pipeline refers to a pipeline bound with the IP address information of the GTP-U tunnel, and the information for identifying the data stream is bound with the IP address information of the GTP-U tunnel, namely the GTP-U pipeline is determined by the information for identifying the data stream and the IP address information of the GTP-U tunnel; at least one GTP-U tunnel may be included in one GTP-U pipe, with each GTP-U tunnel being distinguished by a Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TEID). The second-layer pipeline refers to a pipeline bound with information of the second layer (namely information for identifying data flow), and the pipeline is not bound with IP address information of a GTP-U tunnel, namely the second-layer pipeline can be determined by the information for identifying the data flow; at least one GTP-U tunnel can be included in a two-layer pipe, each GTP-U tunnel being distinguished by a TEID and an IP address of the GTP-U tunnel.

Optionally, the TSN pipe information created by the SMF network element or the control device may be stored in the NRF network element, the control device, or another control plane network element, and used as a basis for selecting the UPF network element or creating the GTP-U tunnel when a subsequent user creates a reliable time-delayed data stream or session. The TSN pipe information may include at least one of information identifying a data stream, AN apparatus identifier of AN network element, AN apparatus identifier of a UPF network element, a port identifier of AN network element, a port identifier of a UPF network element, a reliable time delay transmission network identifier between AN network element and a UPF network element, a source IP address and a destination IP address of a GTP-U tunnel.

Optionally, the TSN pipe information may also be stored in the corresponding UPF network element and AN network element, and used as a basis for creating a GTP-U tunnel by the AN network element and the UPF network element when subsequently creating a data stream or session with reliable time delay.

Optionally, the NRF network element, the control device, or another control plane network element may also store reachable information of the AN network element and the UPF network element in the TSN network, where the reachable information indicates a sending end and a receiving end in the same reliable delay transport network, and is used as a basis for selecting the UPF network element when creating the user session. Optionally, the NRF network element, the control device, or another network element may also store reachable information associated with the port identifier of the AN network element and the port identifier of the UPF network element, and the reachable information is used as a basis for selecting a forwarding port when creating a session or a data stream (for example, selecting AN N3 forwarding interface when performing two-layer forwarding), where the reachable information indicates a port at the transmitting end and a port at the receiving end in the same reliable delay transmission network. If the port of the transmitting end and the port of the receiving end are abstracted as devices, the reachable information can be uniformly expressed as follows: the reachable information is used for indicating a sending end and a receiving end which are positioned in the same reliable time delay transmission network. Since this scenario does not create a GTP-U pipe, it can be considered as a virtual transport pipe.

The TSN pipe packet may carry an IP packet or an ethernet packet, etc. As shown in FIG. 10, the TSN pipe over-encapsulation portion includes a source MAC address (S-MAC1), a destination MAC address (D-MAC1), an IP address (IP) of a GUP-U tunnel, and a TEID (GTU-U) of the GUP-U tunnel. The source MAC address (S-MAC1) and the destination MAC address (D-MAC1) are MAC addresses used for transmitting messages between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and may be addresses allocated by the control device, the SMF network element, or the CUC network element, or MAC addresses of the AN network element and/or the UPF network element. And the IP address and the TEID of the GTP-U tunnel are determined by the SMF network element or the UPF network element and are used for determining the two-layer pipeline. The inner layer payload part of the TSN pipe packet is a user flow packet, taking Ethernet encapsulation as an example, and comprises a destination MAC address (D-MAC2), a source MAC address (S-MAC2) and a DATA part (DATA), wherein the source MAC address (S-MAC2) and the destination MAC address (D-MAC2) in the user flow packet are MAC addresses used for transmitting packets in an access network and/or a DN network.

In the embodiment of the present application, a data flow refers to a created TSN pipe between AN network element and a UPF network element, and a user flow refers to a flow from or to a user. When the user flow is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the user flow is carried in the data flow. The information identifying the data flow in the embodiments of the present application includes a flow Identification (ID) of the data flow and/or a destination MAC address (D-MAC1) of the TSN pipe message. For example, the flow Identification (ID) may include the source MAC address (S-MAC1) of the TSN pipe message and a two-byte number as the identification. The information for identifying the user flow in the embodiment of the application comprises the user flow identification, the MAC address of the user flow destination and the flow characteristics of the user flow.

In the embodiment of the application, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user flow at the DN side refers to the reliable time delay transmission network identifier between the UPF network element and the DN side network element. The port identifier of the user stream transmitted by the UPF network element on the DN side refers to the port identifier corresponding to the port of the user stream transmitted by the UPF network element and the DN side network element. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side corresponds to the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side.

In this embodiment, the information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream may also be represented as information indicating that the terminal device is a sender (talker) or a receiver (listener). The information indicating that the AN network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end may be represented as information indicating that the UPF network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end. And when the user flow is an uplink user flow, the terminal equipment sends the user flow, and the terminal equipment is a sending end. For AN network element and a UPF network element, the AN network element is a sending end UPF network element and a receiving end. And when the user stream is a downlink user stream, the terminal equipment receives the user stream, and the terminal equipment is a receiving end. For AN network element and a UPF network element, the AN network element is a receiving end UPF network element and is a sending end.

In the embodiment of the present application, for the GTP-U tunnel described above, the TSN tunnel is bound to the GTP-U tunnel, and the AN network element and the UPF network element have specific IP addresses and/or tunnel identifiers as two endpoints of the GTP-U tunnel. The IP address and/or tunnel identification of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline on the AN network element side, and the IP address and/or tunnel identification of the corresponding AN network element; and the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline on the UPF network element side correspond to the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the UPF network element.

The communication method and the communication device provided by the embodiment of the application establish a forwarding rule for transmitting the user stream between the AN network element and the UPF network element on the UPF network element, and establish a forwarding rule for transmitting the user message between the UPF network element and the DN. The final forwarding rule for the UPF network element to transmit the user message is as follows:

for a user sending user stream: the UPF network element receives the user flow of a specific source/destination MAC address (optional, packaging a specific GTP-U tunnel) from a specific port of the AN network element side, determines a forwarding port (optional, removing the GTP-U tunnel packaging) according to the information for identifying the user flow (such as user flow identification/user flow destination MAC address/flow characteristics of the user flow), and sends the user flow to the DN through the specific port of the UPF network element on the DN side.

For a user to receive a user stream: the UPF network element receives the user flow from the specific port at the DN side, determines a forwarding port (optionally adding a specific GTP-U tunnel package) according to the information identifying the user flow, adds a specific source/destination MAC address, and sends the user flow to the AN network element through the specific port at the AN network element side of the UPF network element.

The process in fig. 11 to fig. 15 will create a forwarding rule for transmitting a user flow between a UPF network element and AN network element on the UPF network element, and the process in fig. 16 to fig. 18 will finally create a forwarding channel on the DN side, and create a forwarding rule for transmitting a user flow between a UPF network element and the DN side on the UPF network element. Any of the processes of fig. 11-15 may be combined with any of the processes of fig. 16-18. The process in fig. 19 is to create a forwarding rule for transmitting a user stream between AN network element and AN UPF network element on the UPF network element, and create a forwarding rule for transmitting a user packet between the UPF network element and a DN.

For example, the process of creating the forwarding rules in fig. 11-18 may be implemented during the creation of a PDU session. The process of creating the forwarding rule in fig. 19 is independent of the process of creating the PDU session.

The process in fig. 11-15 will create a forwarding rule for transmitting user stream between the UPF network element and the AN network element on the UPF network element, including:

for a user sending user stream: a user flow of a specific source/destination MAC address (optionally a specific GTP-U tunnel) is received from the UPF network element at a specific port on the AN network element side.

For a user to receive a user stream: and sending the specific user flow (optional, adding specific GTP-U tunnel encapsulation) specific source/destination MAC address to the AN network element through a specific port of the UPF network element on the AN network element side.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the message sent by the SMF network element to the UPF network element may be executed in a combined manner. Correspondingly, the messages sent by the UPF network element to the SMF network element may also be executed in combination.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 11, the method includes the following steps:

s1101, the terminal equipment sends information indicating that the terminal equipment sends or receives the user flow to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the terminal device may further send information identifying the user stream to the SMF network element.

The information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream may be information indicating that the terminal device is a sender (talker) or a receiver (listener). The information identifying the user flow may include a flow Identification (ID), a destination MAC address, or a flow characteristic (e.g., an IP address, a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port number, etc.) of the user flow. Optionally, the terminal device may further send a reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side to the SMF network element. Optionally, the terminal device may further send bandwidth information of the user stream of the terminal device to the SMF network element.

The information may be carried in a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session creation request message, for example, the terminal device may send the PDU session creation request message to AN network element through a non-access stratum (NAS) message, the AN network element sends the PDU session creation request message to AN AMF network element, and the AMF network element sends the PDU session creation request message to AN SMF network element. Alternatively, the SMF may obtain the information in other manners. For example, after receiving the PDU session creation request message, the SMF network element obtains the PDU session creation request message from a Policy and Charging Function (PCF) network element or a Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, or obtains the PDU session creation request message from a server on the DN side, or obtains the PDU session creation request message from a functional network element on the DN side through a UPF network element.

In addition, since the PDU session creation request message is forwarded to the SMF network element by the AMF network element, the AMF network element simultaneously sends the device identifier of the AN network element when sending the message to the SMF network element.

S1102, the SMF network element sends the equipment identifier of the AN network element to the NRF network element.

The information is used for requesting the NRF network element to select the UPF network element. The information may be carried in a Nnrf services interface message.

S1103, the NRF network element acquires the equipment identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the equipment identifier of the AN network element, and sends the equipment identifier/IP address of the UPF network element to the SMF network element.

The NRF network element stores reachable information of the AN network element and the UPF network element in the reliable time delay transmission network. The reachable information of the AN network element and the UPF network element in the reliable delay transport network is used to indicate that the AN network element and the UPF network element are located in the same reliable delay transport network, for example, the reachable information may indicate AN equipment identifier of the AN network element and AN equipment identifier of the UPF network element that are located in the same reliable delay transport network. The NRF network element may obtain the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the device identifier of the AN network element and the stored reachable information of the AN network element and the UPF network element in the reliable time delay transmission network.

S1104, the SMF network element sends, to the control device, the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, information indicating that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end, and bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The above information is used to request the control device to select the TSN pipe and allocate bandwidth for the TSN pipe.

The SMF network element may determine, according to the information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream, information indicating that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end, for example, if the terminal device sends the user stream, the AN network element is the sending end; and if the terminal equipment receives the user stream, the AN network element is a receiving end.

The SMF network element may obtain bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the bandwidth information of the user stream of the terminal device received from the terminal device. Or, the SMF network element may obtain bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to configuration, policy, or arrangement.

S1105, the control device obtains the information of the identification data stream of the TSN pipeline between the AN network element and the UPF network element and determines the TSN pipeline according to the device identification of the AN network element, the device identification of the UPF network element and the information indicating that the AN network element is the sending end or the receiving end, allocates bandwidth from the TSN pipeline according to the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and sends the information of the identification data stream to the SMF network element.

Accordingly, the SMF network element receives information identifying the data stream from the control device.

The control device stores TSN pipe information corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element and the device identifier of the UPF network element, such as bandwidth information of the TSN pipe and information identifying the data stream.

Because the TSN pipe corresponding to the device identifier of the same AN network element and the device identifier of the UPF network element may include AN uplink TSN pipe or a downlink TSN pipe, the TSN pipe is not only related to the device identifier of the AN network element and the device identifier of the UPF network element, but also related to which one of the AN network element and the UPF network element is a transmitting end and which one of the network element and the UPF network element is a receiving end, and the information indicating that the AN network element is the transmitting end or the receiving end can indicate the direction of the user stream, thereby indicating that the one of the AN network element and the UPF network element is the transmitting end and which one of the network element is the receiving end, so the control device can obtain the information of the identified data stream of the TSN pipe according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, and. Further, the control device may obtain the information of the identified data stream of the TSN pipe according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, the information indicating that the AN network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end, and the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and determine the corresponding TSN pipe, for example, may select a TSN pipe whose bandwidth is greater than the bandwidth of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The control device may allocate bandwidth to the user stream from the TSN pipe according to bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. It should be noted that the control device does not need to notify other network elements of the bandwidth allocated from the TSN pipe for a certain user stream, and may only store the remaining bandwidth information of the TSN pipe, so as to allocate the bandwidth for other user streams.

And if the control equipment does not find the available TSN pipeline according to the information, the control equipment initiates a TSN pipeline creating process.

Optionally, the TSN pipe information stored by the control device may include GTP-U tunnel information, for example, the TSN pipe information may include AN IP address of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe, and the control device may store a port identifier of the AN network element, a port identifier of the UPF network element, and AN IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe. The control device may send the port identifier of the AN network element, the port identifier of the UPF network element, and the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe to the SMF network element. The IP address and/or the tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline comprise at least one of the IP address and/or the tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline on the AN network element side and the IP address and/or the tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline on the UPF network element side.

Taking the use of a unicast address as an example, the TEID of the GTP-U tunnel in the GTP-U tunnel information is stored in the TSN pipeline information or is distributed by a receiving end; taking the multicast address as an example, the multicast IP address and the TEID of the GTP-U tunnel in the GTP-U tunnel information are stored in the TSN pipe information or are sent to the receiving end by the SMF network element after being allocated by the sending end.

S1106, the SMF network element sends a session creation request message of N4 to the UPF network element.

Information identifying the data flow may be included in the N4 session creation request message.

Optionally, the SMF network element may further send, to the UPF network element, a port identifier of the UPF network element, AN IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the AN network element side and/or the UPF network element side and the TSN pipe, and information identifying the user stream.

The above information may be carried in a session creation request message.

And S1107, the UPF network element sends an N4 session creation response message or an N4 session modification response message to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the UPF network element may store TSN pipe information corresponding to a port identifier of the UPF network element, for example, information identifying a data stream. The UPF network element may determine the TSN pipe from information identifying the data stream received from the SMF network element. The UPF network element may determine the port identifier of the UPF network element according to the port identifier of the UPF network element received from the SMF network element or according to the local storage information.

Optionally, the UPF network element may store an IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the UPF network element side. If the UPF network element does not receive the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel at the UPF network element side from the SMF network element, the UPF network element can allocate the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel at the UPF network element side, or determine the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline at the UPF network element side according to the local storage information. Correspondingly, the message sent in step S1107 may include an IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the UPF network element side.

Optionally, when the UPF network element receives the uplink user stream from the AN network element and adopts a unicast address, or when the UPF network element sends the downlink user stream to the AN network element side and adopts a multicast address, the UPF network element may allocate AN IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the UPF network element side.

After determining the above information, the UPF network element stores the corresponding relationship between the TSN pipe, the port identifier of the UPF network element at the AN network element side, the GTP-U tunnel (including the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier), and the user flow (the information identifying the user flow).

S1108, the SMF network element sends a session creation request message of N2 to the AN network element.

Information identifying the data flow may be included in the N2 session creation request message.

Optionally, the SMF network element may further send, to the AN network element, the port identifier of the AN network element, information identifying the user flow, and one of the following information: and the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline and the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel at the UPF network element side. The IP address and/or the tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline correspond to a scene of binding the TSN pipeline and the GTP-U tunnel; and for the scene, the AN network element allocates the IP address of the AN side, then sends the IP address to the SMF network element and sends the IP address to the UPF network element in the subsequent steps by the SMF network element.

For the uplink user flow, the IP address of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline, the source IP address of the GTP-U tunnel is the IP address of the AN network element, and the destination IP address of the GTP-U tunnel is the IP address of the UPF network element or a multicast address; for the downlink user flow, the IP address of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline, the destination IP address of the GTP-U tunnel is the IP address or the multicast address of the AN network element, and the source IP address of the GTP-U tunnel is the IP address of the UPF network element.

The above information may be carried in the N2 session creation request message. It should be noted that the SMF network element sends the N2 session creation request to the AN network element, where the session creation request may include a port identifier of the AN network element.

It should be noted that steps S1106 and S1108 are both optional, and for the uplink user flow, only S1108 may be performed, and for the downlink user flow, only S1106 may be performed. In addition, S1108 may not be performed for the upstream user flow and the creating user flow at the session granularity.

S1109, the AN network element sends a N2 session creation response message to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the AN network element may store information identifying the data stream corresponding to the port identifier of the AN network element. The AN network element may determine the TSN pipe according to the information identifying the data stream. The AN network element may determine the port identifier of the AN network element according to the port identifier of the AN network element in the session creation request message of N2 or according to the local storage information. It should be noted that, when the AN network element determines the port identifier of the AN network element according to the local storage information, the N2 session creation request sent by the AN network element to the SMF network element may include the port identifier of the AN network element.

The AN network element can store the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline on the AN network element side. If the session creating request message of N2 does not include the IP address and/or tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the AN network element side and the TSN pipeline, the AN network element allocates the IP address and/or tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the AN network element side and the TSN pipeline, or determines the IP address and/or tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the AN network element side and the TSN pipeline according to the local storage information.

Optionally, when the AN network element receives the downlink user stream from the UPF network element and adopts a unicast address, or when the AN network element sends the uplink data stream to the UPF network element and adopts a multicast address, the AN network element may allocate AN IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the side of the AN network element. Optionally, the session creation response message of N2 may include AN IP address and/or a tunnel identifier of a GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the AN network element side.

After determining the information, the AN network element stores the corresponding relationship between the TSN pipeline, the port identifier of the AN network element on the UPF side, the GTP-U tunnel (including the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier) and the user flow (the information for identifying the user flow).

S1110, the SMF network element sends the IP address and/or the tunnel identification of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipeline and the AN network element side to the UPF network element.

The IP address and/or tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the AN network element side and the TSN pipe may be carried in the session modification request message.

It should be noted that this step is optional, and if, in step S1106, the SMF network element does not send the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe on the AN network element side to the UPF network element, step S1110 is executed.

It should be noted that, if the control device is arranged in combination with the SMF network element, the interaction between the SMF network element and the control device in fig. 11 may be omitted. The same reason as that in fig. 12 to 21H is not repeated.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 12, the method includes the following steps:

s1201, the terminal equipment sends information indicating that the terminal equipment sends or receives the user flow and information identifying the user flow to the SMF network element.

The description about this step refers to step S1101. Different from step S1101:

optionally, the terminal device may further send, to the SMF network element through the AN network element, a reliable delay transport network identifier of the user flow on the DN side and/or service information (e.g., a service identifier, a server address) of the user flow in the network on the DN side.

Optionally, when the AMF network element sends the PDU session creation request message to the SMF network element, the equipment identifier of the AN network element and the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element may be sent to the SMF network element.

S1202, the SMF network element sends at least one of the following information to the NRF network element: reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, and service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side.

The information is used for requesting the NRF network element to select the UPF network element.

S1203, the NRF network element obtains the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to at least one of the following information: reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side, and equipment identification/IP address of the UPF network element are sent to the SMF network element.

For example, for a service with a smaller access range, there are fewer corresponding AN network elements and UPF network elements, and both the corresponding AN network elements and the UPF network elements are located in the TSN network, and the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side is used to identify that the TSN network needs to be used for transmission, so the NRF network element may select the UPF network element according to the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side.

For the reliable time delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the TSN network between the AN network element and the UPF network element is named or identified and is unique within a certain range (for example, the management range of the NRF network element), so that the NRF network element can determine the reachable UPF network element according to the reliable time delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The NRF network element may store a correspondence between the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the NRF network element receives the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element from the SMF network element, the NRF network element may obtain the device identifier/IP address of the corresponding UPF network element according to the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The NRF network element may store a correspondence between the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the NRF network element receives the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side from the SMF network element, the NRF network element may obtain the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side.

The NRF network element may store a correspondence between service information (e.g., a service identifier, a server address) of the user stream in the network on the DN side and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the NRF network element receives the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side from the SMF network element, the NRF network element may obtain the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side.

Steps S1204-S1210 refer to steps S1104-S1110, which are not repeated here.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 13, the method includes the following steps:

steps S1301 and S1302 refer to steps S1101 and S1102, which are not repeated here.

S1303, the NRF network element obtains the equipment identifier/IP address of the UPF network element and the TSN pipeline information according to the equipment identifier of the AN network element, and sends the equipment identifier/IP address of the UPF network element and the TSN pipeline information to the SMF network element.

The NRF network element stores TSN pipe information of the TSN pipe corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element and the device identifier of the UPF network element, for example, information identifying a data stream, a device identifier of the AN network element, a device identifier of the UPF network element, and bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. The NRF network element may obtain, according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element on the opposite side of the TSN pipe with the AN network element, and the TSN pipe information of the TSN pipe between the AN network element and the UPF network element. It should be noted that there may be a plurality of TSN pipes using the AN network element as a transmitting end or a receiving end, and correspondingly, there may be a plurality of information for identifying data streams.

Accordingly, the SMF network element receives the device identification/IP address of the UPF network element, and the TSN pipe information from the NRF network element.

And S1304, the SMF network element selects a TSN pipeline meeting the user service requirement according to the TSN pipeline information.

For example, after the SMF network element receives the TSN pipe information, the SMF network element may select a TSN pipe meeting the user service requirement according to that the bandwidth of the data stream is greater than the bandwidth required by the user stream, or the SMF network element may select a TSN pipe meeting the user service requirement according to that the transmission delay of the data stream meets the requirement of the transmission delay of the user stream.

S1305, the SMF network element sends, to the control device, information of the identified data stream corresponding to the selected TSN pipe, and bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

For example, in step S1301, the SMF network element may obtain bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the bandwidth information of the user stream of the terminal device received from the terminal device. Or, the SMF network element may obtain bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to configuration, policy, or arrangement.

The above information is used to request the control device to allocate bandwidth for the user stream.

And S1306, the control device determines a TSN pipeline according to the information for identifying the data stream, allocates bandwidth from the TSN pipeline according to the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and sends a confirmation message to the SMF network element.

For example, the SMF network element sends a pipe identifier "1" to the control device to indicate that the TSN pipe with the pipe identifier "1" is selected by the control device, and the control device sends a pipe identifier "2" to the SMF network element to indicate that TSN pipe 1 is not available and TSN pipe 2 is used.

The control device stores TSN pipe information, such as bandwidth information of the TSN pipe, information identifying the data stream, and the like. The control equipment determines a corresponding TSN pipeline according to the information of the identification data stream, allocates bandwidth for the user stream from the TSN pipeline according to the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and sends the information of the identification data stream of the TSN pipeline to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives information identifying the data stream from the control device.

Steps S1307-S1311 refer to steps S1106-S1110, which are not repeated here.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 14, the method includes the following steps:

steps S1401 to S1403 may refer to steps S1101 to S1103, and steps S1404 to S1406 may refer to steps S1201 to S1203, which are not repeated here. It should be noted that steps S1401-S1403 and steps S1404-S1406 are two alternative parallel schemes.

S1407, the SMF network element sends the device identifier of the AN network element to the UPF network element, and instructs the UPF network element to receive or send the information of the user stream from or to the AN network element, the information identifying the user stream, and the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The SMF network element may determine, according to the information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream, information indicating that the UPF network element receives or sends the user stream from or to the AN network element, for example, if the terminal device sends the user stream, the UPF network element receives the user stream from the AN network element; and if the terminal equipment receives the user flow, the UPF network element sends the user flow to the AN network element.

In step S1101 corresponding to step S1401 and step S1201 corresponding to step S1404, how the SMF network element acquires the information identifying the user stream, the information instructing the terminal device to transmit or receive the user stream, the information identifying the user stream, and the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element is described in detail, and will not be repeated here.

The above information may be carried in a session creation request message.

And S1408, the UPF network element determines the TSN according to the equipment identifier of the AN network element and the information indicating that the UPF network element receives the user stream from the AN network element or sends the user stream to the AN network element, allocates bandwidth from the TSN according to the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and sends the information of the identified data stream of the TSN to the SMF network element.

The UPF network element stores TSN pipe information corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element, such as bandwidth information of the TSN pipe, information identifying the data stream, and the like. The TSN pipe is not only related to the device identifier of the AN network element and the device identifier of the UPF network element, but also related to which network element of the AN network element or the UPF network element is the sending end and which network element is the receiving end. Therefore, the UPF network element determines the corresponding TSN pipe according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, and the information indicating that the UPF network element receives or transmits the user stream from or to the AN network element, and acquires the information identifying the data stream of the TSN pipe. Further, the UPF network element may allocate bandwidth to the user stream from the TSN pipe according to bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and send information of the identified data stream of the TSN pipe to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives information identifying the data stream from the UPF network element.

The above information may be carried in the session creation response message.

If the UPF network element does not find AN available TSN pipe according to the device identifier of the AN network element/the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the UPF network element may send information indicating that no available TSN pipe exists or send information indicating that a TSN pipe is created to the SMF network element.

The UPF network element may identify the downlink user stream on the DN side according to the information identifying the user stream. The UPF network element may previously store the IP address and/or tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe. And the UPF network element stores the corresponding relation between the user flow (the information for identifying the user flow), the TSN pipeline (the information for identifying the data flow) and the GTP-U tunnel (the IP address and/or the tunnel identification) according to the information.

S1409, the SMF network element sends a session creation request message N2 to the AN network element.

Optionally, information for identifying the user flow may also be included in the N2 session creation request message.

S1410, the AN network element sends a N2 session creation response message to the SMF network element.

The AN network element may previously store the IP address and/or the tunnel identifier of the GTP-U tunnel corresponding to the TSN pipe. The AN network element may store the correspondence between the user stream (information identifying the user stream), the TSN pipe (information identifying the data stream), and the GTP-U tunnel (IP address and/or tunnel identifier) according to the above information.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 15, the method includes the following steps:

s1501, the terminal equipment sends information indicating that the terminal equipment sends or receives the user flow and information identifying the user flow to the SMF network element.

The description of this step refers to step S1201, and is not repeated here.

S1502, the SMF network element sends at least one of the following information to the control device: reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, and service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side.

The above information is used to request the control device to select the UPF network element.

S1503, the control device obtains the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to at least one of the following information: reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side, and equipment identification/IP address of the UPF network element are sent to the SMF network element.

The control device may store a correspondence between the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the control device receives the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element from the SMF network element, the control device may acquire the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the reliable delay transmission network identifier between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

The control device may store a correspondence between the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the control device receives the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side from the SMF network element, the control device may obtain the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the DN side.

The control device may store a correspondence between service information (e.g., a service identifier, a server address) of the user stream in the network on the DN side and the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element, and if the control device receives the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side from the SMF network element, the control device may acquire the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element according to the service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side.

S1504, the SMF network element sends the equipment identifier/IP address of the UPF network element to the NRF network element.

The information is used to request other information of the UPF network element, such as supported services and addresses corresponding to the services.

S1505, the NRF network element sends the information of the UPF network element to the SMF network element.

Steps S1506-S1510 refer to steps S1206-S1210 and are not repeated here.

The procedures in fig. 16-18 will eventually create a forwarding channel in the DN side and a forwarding rule on the UPF network element for the UPF network element to transmit the user flow in the DN side:

for a user sending user stream: the UPF network element sends the user flow to the DN through a specific port on the DN side.

For a user to receive a user stream: the UPF network element receives the user flow from a specific port on the DN side.

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, which is used for selecting a port of a UPF network element for transmitting a user stream on a DN side by a control plane network element. As shown in fig. 16, the method includes the following steps, wherein step S1601 and step S1602 are two parallel alternatives, either of which may be performed:

s1601, the UPF network element sends the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side to the control device or the NRF network element.

Step 1601 is for registering the UPF network element with the control device or the NRF network element, and after this step is executed, the processes of selecting the UPF network element and determining the TSN pipe between the AN network element and the UPF network element in fig. 11 to 15 may be executed. The NRF network element or the control device may determine the device identifier/IP address of the UPF network element (i.e., select the UPF network element) according to the information, and send a port identifier indicating that the UPF network element transmits the user stream on the DN side/a reliable time delay transmission network identifier indicating that the user stream is on the DN side to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element may obtain, from the NRF network element or the control device, the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side. The SMF network element may determine the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side according to the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side. Step 1601 is a precondition; in addition, the registration of the UPF network element with the NRF network element is a precondition for the UPF network element to implement other functions.

The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side is associated with the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side.

S1602, the SMF network element sends the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side and the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side to the UPF network element.

The information is used for indicating the UPF network element to register the sending end or the receiving end to the DN side. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side corresponds to the port identification of the UPF network element for determining the transmission of the user flow at the DN side.

Optionally, the SMF network element may further send information identifying the user stream to the UPF network element.

S1603, the UPF network element registers to the DN side.

And the UPF network element sends port identification of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user stream on the DN side, bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side and information indicating that the UPF network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end to a network element in the TSN network on the DN side so as to be registered as the transmitting end or the receiving end in the TSN network on the DN side.

Or, the UPF network element sends an SRP request message through a specific port corresponding to the port identifier and waits for a response, where the SRP request message includes the information, and at this time, the UPF network element is registered as a sending end in the TSN network on the DN side. Or, waiting for the SRP request message in a specific port of the DN side and sending an SRP response message to the port, where the SRP response message includes the above information, and at this time, the UPF network element is registered as a receiving end in the TSN network of the DN side.

Optionally, when the UPF network element registers to the DN side, or the sent SRP request message or SRP response message may further include information for identifying the user stream, which is used by the network element on the DN side to identify the user stream.

The UPF network element may obtain information indicating that the UPF network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end according to a direction of the TSN pipe between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

For example, the network element in the DN-side TSN network may be an AF network element or a CUC network element in the DN-side TSN network.

And S1604, after the registration of the UPF network element is completed, sending information indicating that the registration of the UPF network element is completed to the SMF network element.

S1605, the SMF network element sends the forwarding rule to the UPF network element.

As shown in fig. 11 to fig. 15, in the process of determining the TSN pipe between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the SMF network element sends, to the UPF network element, information of AN identification data stream of the UPF network element on the AN side or a port identification of a user stream transmitted by the UPF network element on the AN side through the TSN pipe. In addition, after step S1601 or S1602 is executed, the UPF network element learns that the UPF network element transmits the port identifier of the user stream on the DN side.

Therefore, the UPF network element may associate forwarding rules of the DN side and the AN side, for example, the UPF network element may establish the following correspondence: the corresponding relation between the port identification of the user stream transmitted by the UPF network element on the DN side and the information of the identification data stream of the UPF network element on the AN side, or the corresponding relation between the port identification of the user stream transmitted by the UPF network element on the DN side and the port identification of the user stream transmitted by the UPF network element on the AN side through the TSN pipeline. It should be noted that determining, by the UPF network element, the forwarding rule on the DN side according to the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side is an implementation manner of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side.

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, which is used for a UPF network element to select a port of the UPF network element for transmitting a user stream on a DN side. As shown in fig. 17, the method includes the steps of:

s1701, the SMF network element sends the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side and the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side to the UPF network element.

The information is used to indicate that the UPF network element registers the sending end or the receiving end to the DN side, for example, the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side corresponds to the TSN pipe on the DN side selected by the SMF network element, or the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side is used to request the UPF network element to select the TSN pipe in the process of registering to the DN side from below, the selected TSN pipe includes data stream direction information, and the UPF network element can indirectly determine that the UPF network element is the receiving end or the sending end on the DN side according to the data stream direction information.

Optionally, the SMF network element may send information identifying the user stream to the UPF network element. The information identifying the user stream is used for identifying the user stream on the DN side by the UPF network element and identifying the user stream when the reliable time delay transmission stream of the UPF on the DN side is created.

S1702, registering the UPF network element to the DN side.

The port identifier of the UPF network element for transmitting the user stream in the TSN can be obtained by the UPF network element according to the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the DN side.

The process of registering the UPF network element to the DN side may be described with reference to step S1603 and is not repeated here.

Steps S1703 to S1704 refer to steps S1604 to S1605, which are not repeated here.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 18, the method includes steps S1801 to S1803, where steps S1801 and S1802 are parallel alternatives, and any one of the steps may be executed:

s1801, the SMF network element sends, to a network element on the DN side, information indicating that the UPF network element is a sending end or a receiving end, and bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side.

The information is used for indicating the network element at the DN side to register the UPF network element as the sending end or the receiving end.

Optionally, the SMF network element may send, to the network element on the DN side, the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side, and information identifying the user stream. The information for identifying the user flow is used for identifying the user flow at the DN side by the UPF network element and identifying the user flow when the reliable time delay transmission user flow at the DN side is established by the UPF network element.

For example, the network element on the DN side may be an AF network element or a CUC network element on the DN side.

S1802, the network element on DN side sends the port identification of UPF network element transmitting user flow on DN side/the reliable delay transmission network identification of user flow on DN side to SMF network element.

The above message may be carried in a reply registration message.

It should be noted that step S1802 may be performed by a network element on the DN side when the SMF network element does not perform S1801.

S1803, the SMF network element sends a forwarding rule to the UPF network element.

The SMF network element may send, to the UPF network element, a port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream on the DN side/a reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side is used for the UPF network element to determine the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side.

The SMF network element may further send information of the identification data stream of the UPF network element on the AN side and a port identification of the UPF network element transmitting the user stream through the TSN pipe on the AN side to the UPF network element, and the UPF network element associates the forwarding rules of the DN side and the AN side, and the related contents refer to step S1605 and are not repeated here.

The process in fig. 19 is to create a forwarding rule on the UPF network element for the UPF network element to transmit the user stream on the DN side, and create a forwarding rule on the UPF network element to transmit the user stream on the DN side.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 19, the method includes the following steps:

s1901, PDU session creation process.

In this process, the process of selecting the UPF network element in fig. 12 to 16 is performed, and GTU-U tunnel information such as IP addresses and/or identities of GTP-U tunnels on the AN network element and the UPF network element is determined. But the terminal device does not indicate information identifying the user stream and bandwidth information of the user stream of the terminal device in the session creation request.

After the PDU session creation is completed, optionally, steps S1902-S1903 or S1904 may be performed.

S1902, the terminal device sends information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream to a network element on the DN side.

Optionally, the terminal device may send information identifying the user flow to a network element on the DN side, and/or transmit a network identifier for the user flow at the DN side with a reliable delay, and/or transmit service information of the user flow in a network on the DN side. The terminal device can be configured to obtain or obtain from a server through an application layer.

Optionally, the terminal device may send bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side to the network element on the DN side.

The bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side can be obtained by the terminal device from the network element on the network side, or obtained by the terminal device from the server through the application layer.

And S1903, the network element on the DN side sends information indicating that the terminal equipment sends or receives the user flow to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the network element on the DN side may send information identifying the user stream to the SMF network element, and/or a reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side, and/or service information of the user stream in the network on the DN side. The SMF network element may determine the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the DN side according to the information identifying the user stream or the service information of the user stream in the network at the DN side, or the UPF network element transmits the port identifier of the user stream at the DN side.

Optionally, the network element on the DN side may send bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the network element on the DN side may further send, to the SMF network element, a port identifier of the UPF network element at the DN side for transmitting the user stream or a reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the DN side. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side is associated with the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side.

It should be noted that step S1902 is optional, the network element on the DN side may actively perform step S1903, and the network element on the DN side may obtain the sent information according to the configuration information (e.g., service data of a user), for example, for one user flow, the terminal device may be configured as a sending end, and for another flow, the terminal device may be configured as a receiving end.

S1904, the terminal device sends information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream to the SMF network element.

Optionally, the terminal device may send information identifying the user flow to the SMF network element, and/or transmit a network identifier for reliable time delay of the user flow on the DN side, and/or transmit service information in a network of the user flow on the DN side. The SMF network element may determine the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the DN side according to the information identifying the user stream or the service information of the user stream in the network at the DN side, or the UPF network element transmits the port identifier of the user stream at the DN side.

The following steps S1905-S1906 are optional for selecting a TSN pipe by the control device for transmitting the user stream, if steps S1905-S1906 are not performed, the TSN pipe may be selected by the SMF network element.

S1905, the SMF network element sends a message requesting to select the TSN pipe to the control device, or after the SMF network element selects the TSN pipe, requests to allocate bandwidth from the TSN pipe to the control device.

The SMF network element may determine the transmission direction of the user stream according to the information indicating that the terminal device sends or receives the user stream, thereby selecting the TSN pipe corresponding to the transmission direction, or requesting the control device to select the TSN pipe. And the SMF network element acquires the corresponding information for identifying the data stream according to the selected TSN pipeline.

The SMF network element requests the control device to select the TSN pipe. Or, the SMF network element selects the TSN pipe, and when requesting the control device to allocate bandwidth from the TSN pipe, indicates the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element to the control device, that is, the SMF network element directly calculates the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element and indicates the bandwidth information to the control device; or, because a GTP-U packet header encapsulation and the like need to be added to the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, and because the occupied bandwidth may change, the SMF network element may instruct the control device to calculate bandwidth information needed by the user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side.

S1906, the control device sends information for identifying the data stream to the SMF network element, or sends a confirmation message for allocating the bandwidth.

Steps S1907 to S1910 refer to steps S1106 to S1109. Unlike the case where GTU-U tunnel information such as IP addresses and/or identities of GTP-U tunnels on the AN network element and the UPF network element has already been determined in step S1901, steps S1907 to S1910 may not need to send GTU-U tunnel information such as IP addresses and/or identities of GTP-U tunnels to the AN network element and the UPF network element.

S1911, executing a registration process of the UPF network element to the DN side, and sending a forwarding rule to the UPF network element by the SMF network element.

Step S1911 may refer to steps S1602 to S1605, or steps S1702 to S1705, or steps S1802 to S1804, which are not repeated here.

It should be noted that step S1911 may be executed at any time after step S1902, and step S1911 may also be executed in combination with steps S1907 to S1908.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 20, the method includes the following steps:

s2001, the SMF network element obtains first information identifying the data flow.

The first information is used for indicating a sending end to send user flow through data flow and indicating a receiving end to receive the user flow through the data flow; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element.

The SMF network element may obtain the first information identifying the data stream in several ways:

in one possible embodiment, the control device may send the first information to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element may receive the first information from the control device. This embodiment may refer to step S1906, which is not repeated here.

In a possible implementation manner, the SMF network element may send, to the control device, the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end. Correspondingly, the control equipment receives the equipment identification of the AN network element, the equipment identification of the UPF network element and the first indication information from the SMF network element. And the control equipment obtains first information for identifying the data stream according to the equipment identifier of the AN network element, the equipment identifier of the UPF network element and the first indication information. And the control equipment sends the first information to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives first information corresponding to the equipment identifier of the AN network element, the equipment identifier of the UPF network element and the first indication information from the control equipment. This embodiment may refer to steps S1104 and S1105, which are not repeated here.

Further, in a possible implementation manner, the SMF network element may further send first bandwidth information to the control device, where the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. Accordingly, the control device receives first bandwidth information from the SMF network element. And the control equipment obtains first information for identifying the data stream according to the equipment identifier of the AN network element, the equipment identifier of the UPF network element, the first indication information and the first bandwidth information. And the control equipment sends the first information to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, the first indication information, and the first bandwidth information. This embodiment may refer to step S1104, which is not repeated here.

How to obtain the first bandwidth information, the first indication information, the device identifier of the AN network element, and the device identifier of the UPF network element is described below:

the SMF network element may obtain the first bandwidth information by:

in a possible implementation manner, the terminal device may send second bandwidth information to the SMF network element, where the second bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal device. Accordingly, the SMF network element may receive the second bandwidth information from the terminal device. And the SMF network element obtains the first bandwidth information according to the second bandwidth information. This embodiment may refer to steps S1101 and S1104, which are not repeated here.

It should be noted that the control device may not only obtain the first bandwidth information from the SMF network element, but also obtain the first bandwidth information according to configuration, policy, or arrangement.

The SMF network element may obtain the first indication information by:

in a possible implementation manner, the SMF network element may obtain the first indication information according to second indication information, where the second indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to send or receive the user stream. This embodiment may refer to step S1104, which is not repeated here.

Further, in a possible implementation, the terminal device may send the second indication information to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element may receive the second indication information from the terminal device. This embodiment may refer to step S1101, which is not repeated here.

The SMF network element may obtain the device identifier of the AN network element in the following manner.

In one possible embodiment, the SMF network element may receive the device identification of the AN network element from the AN network element or the AMF network element. This embodiment may refer to step S1101, which is not repeated here.

The SMF network element may obtain the device identifier of the UPF network element in the following manner.

In a possible implementation manner, the SMF network element may obtain the device identifier of the UPF network element according to third indication information, where the third indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the AN network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side. This embodiment may refer to steps S1103 and S1202 to S1203, which are not repeated here.

In one possible embodiment, the SMF network element may receive the third indication information from the AN network element or the AMF network element. The terminal equipment can send the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side and/or the service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side to the SMF network element through the AN network element. This embodiment may refer to step S1201, which is not repeated here.

In one possible embodiment, the SMF network element may send the third indication information to the first network element. Accordingly, the first network element receives the third indication information from the SMF network element. And the first network element sends the equipment identifier of the UPF network element corresponding to the third indication information to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the device identifier of the UPF network element corresponding to the third indication information from the NRF network element or the control device. The first network element may be an NRF network element or a control device. This embodiment may refer to steps S1502 and S1503, which are not repeated here.

S2002, the SMF network element sends the first information to the UPF network element and/or the AN network element.

Accordingly, the UPF network element and/or the AN network element receives the first information from the SMF network element.

This embodiment may refer to steps S1106 and S1108, which are not repeated here.

And S2003, the SMF network element acquires the second information.

The second information is used for indicating the UPF network element to transmit the forwarding rule of the user flow at the DN side.

In one possible implementation, the second information may include: and transmitting the network identification by the reliable time delay of the user flow at the DN side, or transmitting the port identification of the user flow by the UPF network element at the DN side. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side is associated with the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side. Optionally, the second information may further include third bandwidth information, where the third bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side.

The SMF network element may obtain the second information in several ways.

In one possible implementation, at least one of the following network elements may send the second information to the SMF network element, and accordingly, the SMF network element may receive the second information from at least one of the following network elements: NRF network elements, control equipment, AF network elements on the DN side or CUC network elements on the DN side. This embodiment may refer to steps S1601, S1802, or S1903, which are not repeated here.

In a possible implementation manner, the SMF network element may obtain the second information according to the information identifying the user flow or the service information of the user flow in the network on the DN side. This embodiment may refer to step S1903 or S1904, which is not repeated here.

Further, in a possible implementation, the terminal device may send third bandwidth information to the SMF network element, and accordingly, the SMF network element receives the third bandwidth information from the terminal device. This embodiment may refer to step S1904, which is not repeated here.

And S2004, the SMF network element sends the second information to the UPF network element.

Accordingly, the UPF network element receives the second information from the SMF network element.

This embodiment may refer to steps S1605 and S1911, which are not repeated here.

In a possible implementation manner, when the second information includes the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side, the UPF network element may obtain, according to the reliable delay transmission network identifier of the user stream on the DN side, a port identifier of the UPF network element for transmitting the user stream on the DN side.

Further, in a possible implementation manner, the UPF network element may send, to the SMF network element, a port identifier of the UPF network element that transmits the user stream on the DN side. This embodiment may refer to step S1601, which is not repeated here.

In the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, the SMF network element acquires first information and second information, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through a data stream and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element. The second information is used for indicating the UPF network element to transmit the forwarding rule of the user flow at the DN side. That is, the first information indicates a data flow transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element. The SMF network element sends the first information and the second information to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element can determine how the data stream is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element according to the first information and determine how the data stream is transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN according to the second information, and a forwarding path between the AN network element and the DN is realized on the UPF network element.

In addition, as shown in fig. 1, when the user packet is transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the user packet is encapsulated in the load of the GTP-U packet, so the TSN forwarding device between the AN network element and the UPF network element cannot acquire the address information in the user packet, and cannot forward the address information according to the address information in the user packet, but forward the address information according to the address information in the GTP-U packet header. However, for a plurality of different data streams, the address information in the GTP-U packet header is the same, so the TSN network between the AN network element and the UPF network element cannot distinguish the different data streams according to the address information in the GTP-U packet header. In the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, the SMF network element sends first information to the AN network element and the UPF network element, where the first information is used to instruct the sending end to send the user stream through the data stream and also used to instruct the receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element. The TSN between the AN network element and the UPF network element can forward the data stream according to the first information, and the problem that the TSN between the AN network element and the UPF network element cannot distinguish different data streams according to the address information in the GTP-U message header is solved.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 20, the communication method may further include:

and S2005, the terminal equipment or the server at the DN side sends the third information to the SMF network element.

The third information may be the information identifying the user stream as described above, and the third information may include at least one of the following information: identification of the user flow, destination MAC address of the user flow, flow characteristics of the user flow.

Accordingly, the SMF network element receives the third information from the terminal device or the server on the DN side.

This embodiment may refer to step S1101, which is not repeated here.

And S2006, the SMF network element sends third information to the UPF network element or the network element at the DN side.

Accordingly, the UPF network element or the CUC network element on the DN side receives the third information from the SMF network element. For example, the network element on the DN side may be an AF network element or a CUC network element on the DN side.

This embodiment may refer to step S1106 or S1801, which is not repeated here.

With reference to the above description of fig. 11 to fig. 20, an embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method, as shown in fig. 21A, the method includes:

s2101, the SMF network element obtains first information identifying the data stream.

The first information is used for indicating a sending end to send user flow through data flow and indicating a receiving end to receive the user flow through the data flow; the receiving end is AN AN network element and the transmitting end is a UPF network element, or the receiving end is a UPF network element and the transmitting end is AN AN network element;

s2102, the SMF network element sends the first information to the UPF network element and/or the AN network element.

S2103, the SMF network element acquires the second information.

The second information is used for indicating the forwarding rule of the user flow transmitted by the user plane function network element on the data network side.

In one possible embodiment, the second information includes: and transmitting the network identification by the reliable time delay of the user flow at the DN side, or transmitting the port identification of the user flow by the UPF network element at the DN side. The reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side is associated with the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side.

S2104, the SMF network element sends the second information to the UPF network element.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21A, the communication method may further include:

s2105, the SMF network element obtains the equipment identifier of the UPF network element according to the third indication information.

Wherein the third indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the AN network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side.

s2106, the SMF network element receives the third indication information from the AN network element or the AMF network element.

s2107, the SMF network element receives the third bandwidth information from the terminal device.

The third bandwidth information is the bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side.

s2108, the SMF network element receives the third information from the terminal device or the server on the DN side.

The third information includes at least one of the following information: identification of the user flow, destination MAC address of the user flow, flow characteristics of the user flow.

S2109, the SMF network element sends the third information to the UPF network element, or the AF network element on the DN side, or the CUC network element on the DN side.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21B, step S2101 may include:

s21011, the SMF network element sends the equipment identifier of the AN network element, the equipment identifier of the UPF network element and the first indication information to the control equipment.

The first indication information is used for indicating that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end.

S21012, the SMF network element receives, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, and the first indication information.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21B, the communication method may further include:

and S2110, the SMF network element obtains the first indication information according to the second indication information.

And the second indication information is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send or receive the user stream.

s2111, the SMF network element receives the second indication information from the terminal device.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21B, the step S2101 may include:

s21013, the SMF network element receives the first information from the control device.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21B, step S2103 may include:

s21031, the SMF network element receives the second information from at least one of the following network elements: NRF network element, control equipment, AF network element on DN side or CUC network element on DN side.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21B, step S2103 may include:

s21032, the SMF network element obtains the second information according to the first information, or the SMF network element obtains the second information according to the fourth indication information.

And the fourth indication information is used for indicating the UPF network element to send or receive the user stream.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21C, the communication method may further include:

s2112, the SMF network element sends the first bandwidth information to the control device.

The first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the AN network element and the UPF network element.

Step S21012 includes S210121:

s210121, the SMF network element receives, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, the first indication information, and the first bandwidth information.

s2113, the SMF network element receives the second bandwidth information from the terminal device.

The second bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal device.

S2114, the SMF network element obtains the first bandwidth information according to the second bandwidth information.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21C, step S2105 may include:

s21051, the SMF network element sends the third indication information to the first network element.

The first network element may be an NRF network element or a control device.

S21052, the SMF network element receives, from the first network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element corresponding to the third indication information.

With reference to the above description of fig. 11 to fig. 20, an embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method, as shown in fig. 21D, the method includes:

s2131, the terminal equipment sends first indication information to the SMF network element.

The first indication information is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send or receive the user stream, and is used for determining that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end which transmits the user stream through the data stream, and the first indication information is used for creating the user stream.

S2132, the terminal device sends at least one of the following information to the SMF network element: identification of the user flow, destination MAC address of the user flow, flow characteristics of the user flow.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21D, the communication method may further include:

s2133, the terminal device sends the first bandwidth information to the SMF network element.

The first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user flow of the terminal equipment or bandwidth information of the user flow transmitted between the UPF network element and the DN side.

s2134, the terminal device sends the reliable delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side and/or the service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side to the SMF network element.

With reference to the above description of fig. 11 to fig. 20, an embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method, as shown in fig. 21E, the method includes:

s2141, the control device obtains first information identifying the data stream according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element and the first indication information.

The first indication information is used for indicating that the AN network element is a sending end or a receiving end which communicates through the data stream, and the first information is used for indicating that the sending end sends the data stream through the data stream and indicating that the receiving end receives the user stream through the data stream.

S2142, the control device sends the first information to the SMF network element.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21E, the communication method may further include:

s2143, the control device receives the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element and the first indication information from the SMF network element.

s2144, the control device receives the second indication information from the SMF network element.

Wherein the second indication information comprises at least one of the following information: the device identification of the AN network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side.

S2145, the control device sends the device identifier of the UPF network element corresponding to the second indication information to the SMF network element.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21F, the communication method may further include:

s2146, the control device obtains the first bandwidth information.

Step S2141 may include:

s21411, the control device obtains the first information according to the device identifier of the AN network element, the device identifier of the UPF network element, the first indication information, and the first bandwidth information.

In conjunction with the above description of fig. 11 to fig. 20, an embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method, as shown in fig. 21G, the method includes:

s2151, the UPF network element receives first information identifying the data flow from the SMF network element.

The first information is used for indicating a sending end to send a user stream through a data stream and also used for indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, wherein AN access end is AN AN network element and the sending end is a UPF network element, or the access end is the UPF network element and the sending end is the AN network element;

s2152, the UPF network element receives the second information from the SMF network element.

In one possible embodiment, the second information includes: and the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user flow at the DN side, or the port identifier of the user flow transmitted by the UPF network element at the DN side, wherein the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user flow at the DN side is associated with the port identifier of the user flow transmitted by the UPF network element at the DN side.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21G, when the second information includes a reliable delay transport network identifier of the user flow on the DN side, the communication method may further include:

s2153, the UPF network element obtains the port identification of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow at the DN side according to the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21G, the communication method may further include:

s2154, the UPF network element sends the port identifier of the UPF network element transmitting the user flow on the DN side to the SMF network element.

With reference to the above description of fig. 11 to fig. 20, an embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method, as shown in fig. 21H, the method includes:

s2161, the NRF network element receives the first indication information from the SMF network element.

Wherein the first indication information comprises at least one of the following information: the device identification of the AN network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the AN network element and the UPF network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the DN side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the DN side; the AN network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the UPF network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, or the AN network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the UPF network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream.

S2162, the NRF network element sends the UPF network element device identifier corresponding to the first indication information to the SMF network element.

In one possible implementation, as shown in fig. 21H, the communication method may further include:

s2163, the NRF network element sends the first information to the SMF network element.

The first information is used for indicating the port of the UPF network element for transmitting the user flow on the DN side.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, which can be used to execute the function of the SMF network element in the foregoing method. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, the division of the modules in the present application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 22 shows a schematic diagram of a possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment, and the communication device 22 may include: a reception unit 2211, an acquisition unit 2212, and a transmission unit 2213. The above-mentioned units are used to support the communication device to execute the relevant method of the SMF network element in any of fig. 11 to 18. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again. It should be noted that the above units are optional. Illustratively, the communication device 22 may include an obtaining unit 2212 and a sending unit 2213, and optionally, the communication device 22 may further include a receiving unit 2211.

Illustratively, the receiving unit 2211 is configured to support the communication device 22 to perform the processes S1101, S1103, S1105, S1107, S1109 in fig. 11, or the processes S1201, S1203, S1205, S1207, S1209 in fig. 12, or the processes S1301, S1303, S1306, S1308, S1310 in fig. 13, or the processes S1401, S1403, S1404, S1406, S1408, S1410 in fig. 14, or the processes S1501, S1503, S1507, S1509 in fig. 15, or the process S1604 in fig. 16, or the process S1703 in fig. 17, or the process S18, or the processes S1802, S1904, S1906, S1908, S1910 in fig. 19, or the process S2005 in fig. 20, or the processes S2106, S2108 in fig. 21A, or the processes S2111, S21012, S21013, S1910, S21015, S2145, S2103, S2145, S3, S2103, S2145, S3, S2145 in fig. 21B, or processes S2162, S2163 in fig. 21H. The acquisition unit 2212 is configured to support the communication apparatus 22 to execute the process S1304 in fig. 13, or the processes S2001 and S2003 in fig. 20, or the processes S2101, S2103, and S2105 in fig. 21A, or the processes S2110, S21032, and S2105 in fig. 21B, or the processes S2110, S2114, and S21032 in fig. 21C. The transmitting unit 2213 is configured to support the communication apparatus 22 to execute the processes S1102, S1104, S1106, S1108, S1110 in fig. 11, or the processes S1202, S1204, S1206, S1208, S1210 in fig. 12, or the processes S1302, S1305, S1307, S1309, S1311 in fig. 13, or the processes S1402, S1405, S1407, S1409 in fig. 14, or the processes S1502, S1504, S1506, S1508, S1510 in fig. 15, or the process S5 in fig. 16, or the processes S1701, S1704 in fig. 17, or the processes S1801, S1803 in fig. 18, or the processes S1502, S1506, S1907, S1909, S1911 in fig. 19, or the processes S2002, S2004, S2006 in fig. 20, or the processes S1901, S2102, S2109 in fig. 21A, or the processes S21011, S21012, S2109, S21011, S21C, S21, S2141, S21C, S21C, S2104, S21C, or S2104G 21C. All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining unit 2212 is configured to obtain first information for identifying a data stream, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; a sending unit 2213, configured to send the first information obtained by the obtaining unit to a user plane function network element and/or an access network element; the obtaining unit 2212 is further configured to obtain second information, where the second information is used to indicate a forwarding rule for a user plane function network element to transmit a user stream on the data network side; a sending unit 2213, further configured to send the second information to the user plane function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication apparatus further includes a receiving unit 2211, where the sending unit 2213 is specifically configured to send, to the control device, a device identifier of the access network element, a device identifier of the user plane function network element, and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the access network element is a sending end or a receiving end; the receiving unit 2211 is configured to receive, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, and the first indication information.

In a possible implementation, the sending unit 2213 is further configured to send first bandwidth information to the control device, where the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the access network element and the user plane function network element; the receiving unit 2211 is specifically configured to receive, from the control device, first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information, and the first bandwidth information.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive second bandwidth information from the terminal device, where the second bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal device; the obtaining unit 2212 is specifically configured to obtain the first bandwidth information according to the second bandwidth information.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining unit 2212 is specifically configured to obtain the first indication information according to the second indication information, where the second indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to send or receive the user stream.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive second indication information from the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, the communication apparatus further comprises a receiving unit 2211, and the receiving unit 2211 is specifically configured to receive the first information from the control device.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining unit 2212 is further configured to obtain the device identifier of the user plane function network element according to third indication information, where the third indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side.

In a possible implementation, the sending unit 2213 is further configured to send third indication information to the first network element; the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive, from the first network element, a device identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the third indication information; the first network element is a network function storage function network element or a control device.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive third indication information from the access network element or the access and mobility management network element.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is specifically configured to receive the second information from at least one of the following network elements: the network function storage function network element, the control equipment, the application function network element at the data network side or the centralized user configuration network element at the data network side.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining unit 2212 is specifically configured to obtain the second information according to the information identifying the user flow or the service information of the user flow in the network on the data network side.

In one possible embodiment, the second information includes: the method comprises the following steps that a reliable time delay transmission network identification of a user flow at a data network side, or a port identification of a user plane function network element at the data network side is transmitted by the user flow, wherein the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side is associated with the port identification of the user plane function network element at the data network side.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive third bandwidth information from the terminal device, where the third bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and the data network side.

In a possible implementation, the receiving unit 2211 is further configured to receive third information from the terminal device or a server on the data network side, where the third information includes at least one of the following information: the identification of the user flow, the target Media Access Control (MAC) address of the user flow and the flow characteristics of the user flow; the sending unit 2213 is further configured to send the third information to a user plane function network element or an application function network element on the data network side or a centralized user configuration network element on the data network side.

Fig. 23 shows a schematic diagram of another possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment. The communication device 23 includes: a processing module 2322, and a communication module 2323. Optionally, the communication device 23 may further include a storage module 2321. The modules are used to support the communication device to execute the method related to the SMF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

The processing module 2322 is used for controlling and managing the actions of the communication device 23 or executing corresponding processing functions, such as the function of the obtaining unit 2212. The communication module 2323 is used to support the communication device 23 to execute the functions of the receiving unit 2211 and the transmitting unit 2213. The storage module 2321 is used for storing program codes and/or data of the communication device.

The processing module 2322 may be a processor or a controller, and may be, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The communication module 2323 may be a network interface or a communication interface, etc. The storage module 2321 may be a memory.

In a possible manner, the processing module 2322 may be the processor 501 in fig. 5, the communication module 2323 may be the communication interface 504 in fig. 5, and the storage module 2321 may be the memory 503 in fig. 5. Wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method relating to the SMF network element of any of fig. 11-21H.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory for storing a program, the processor invoking the program stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform a method associated with an SMF network element of any of figures 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium storing one or more programs thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause a communication device to perform a method related to an SMF network element of any of fig. 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute the method related to the SMF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H.

An embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor and is configured to support a communication device to perform a method related to an SMF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. For example, a session management function network element obtains first information identifying a data stream, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; a session management function network element sends first information to a user plane function network element and/or an access network element; the session management function network element acquires second information, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream at the data network side; and the session management function network element sends the second information to the user plane function network element. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. The chip system may include a chip, an integrated circuit, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The communication device, the computer storage medium, the computer program product, or the chip system provided in the present application are all configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the beneficial effects achieved by the communication device, the computer storage medium, the computer program product, or the chip system may refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

It is to be understood that the communication device may be an SMF network element, or may be a component (chip or circuit, etc.) that can be used in an SMF network element.

The embodiment of the application also provides a communication device, which can be used for executing the functions of the terminal equipment in the method. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, the division of the modules in the present application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 24 shows a schematic diagram of a possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment, and the communication device 24 may include: a sending unit 2411. The above units are used to support the communication device to execute the related method of the terminal device in any of fig. 11-18. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

Illustratively, the sending unit 2411 is configured to support the communication device 24 to execute the process S1101 in fig. 11, or the process S1201 in fig. 12, or the process S1301 in fig. 13, or the processes S1401 and S1404 in fig. 14, or the process S1501 in fig. 15, or the processes S1901, S1902 and S1904 in fig. 19, or the process S2005 in fig. 20, or the processes S2107 and S2108 in fig. 21A, or the processes S2111, S21013, S2107 and S2108 in fig. 21B, or the processes S2111, S2113, S21013, S2107 and S2108 in fig. 21C, or the processes S2131 to S2134 in fig. 21D. All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit 2411 is configured to send first indication information to a session management function network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device sends or receives a user stream, and is used to determine that an access network element is a sending end or a receiving end that transmits the user stream through a data stream, and the first indication information is used for creating the user stream; the sending unit 2411 is further configured to send, to the session management function network element, at least one of the following information: the identification of the user flow, the destination MAC address of the user flow, and the flow characteristics of the user flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit 2411 is further configured to send, to the session management function network element, first bandwidth information, where the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal device or bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and the data network side.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit 2411 is further configured to send, to the session management function network element, a reliable delay transport network identifier of the user flow on the data network side and/or service information of the user flow in a network on the data network side.

Fig. 25 shows a schematic diagram of another possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment. The communication device 25 includes: a processing module 2522, and a communication module 2523. Optionally, the communication device 25 may further include a storage module 2521. The modules are used for supporting the communication device to execute the method related to the terminal device in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

In a possible manner, the processing module 2522 is used to control and manage the actions of the communication means 25 or to perform corresponding processing functions. The communication module 2523 is used to support the communication device 25 to perform the functions of the transmitting unit 2411. The memory module 2521 is used to store program codes and/or data of the communication device.

The processing module 2522 may be a processor or a controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The communication module 2523 may be a network interface or a communication interface, etc. The storage module 2521 may be a memory.

In one possible approach, the processing module 2522 may be the processor 380 of fig. 3, the communication module 2523 may be the RF circuit 300 of fig. 3, and the storage module 2521 may be the memory 320 of fig. 3. Wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by the communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method relating to the terminal device of any of figures 11-21H.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory being configured to store a program, the processor invoking the program stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform a method associated with the terminal device of any of figures 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium storing one or more programs, which when executed by a processor, cause a communication apparatus to perform the method related to the terminal device in any of fig. 11 to 21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute the method related to the terminal device in any of fig. 11 to 21H.

An embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor and is configured to support a communication apparatus to perform a method related to a terminal device in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. For example, the terminal device sends first indication information to the session management function network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate the terminal device to send or receive a user stream, and is used to determine that the access network element is a sending end or a receiving end that transmits the user stream through a data stream, and the first indication information is used to create the user stream; the terminal equipment sends at least one of the following information to the session management function network element: identification of the user flow, destination MAC address of the user flow, flow characteristics of the user flow. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. The chip system may include a chip, an integrated circuit, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It is to be understood that the communication device may be a terminal device, or may be a component (chip, circuit, or the like) that can be used for a terminal device.

The embodiment of the application also provides a communication device, which can be used for executing the functions of the control equipment in the method. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, the division of the modules in the present application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 26 shows a schematic diagram of a possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment, and the communication device 26 may include: receiving section 2611, acquiring section 2612, and transmitting section 2613. The above-mentioned units are used to support the communication device to execute the related method of the control device in any of fig. 11-18. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again. It should be noted that the above units are optional. Illustratively, the communication device 26 may include an obtaining unit 2612 and a sending unit 2613, and optionally, the communication device 26 may further include a receiving unit 2611.

Illustratively, the receiving unit 2611 is used for supporting the communication device 26 to execute the process S1104 in fig. 11, or the process S1204 in fig. 12, or the process S1305 in fig. 13, or the process S1502 in fig. 15, or the process S1601 in fig. 16, or the process S1905 in fig. 19, or the process S21011 in fig. 21B, or the processes S2112, S21011, S21051 in fig. 21C, or the processes S2143, S2144 in fig. 21E, or the processes S2143, S2144 in fig. 21F. The obtaining unit 2612 is used to support the communication device 26 to execute the process S2141 in fig. 21E or the processes S2146 and S21411 in fig. 21F. The transmitting unit 2613 is configured to support the communication apparatus 26 to execute the process S1105 in fig. 11, the process S1205 in fig. 12, the process S1306 in fig. 13, the process S1503 in fig. 15, the process S1906 in fig. 19, the processes S21012 and S21031 in fig. 21B, the processes S210121, S21031 and S21052 in fig. 21C, the processes S2142 and S2145 in fig. 21E, and the process S2145 in fig. 21F. All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

In a possible implementation manner, the obtaining unit 2612 is configured to obtain first information for identifying a data stream according to an equipment identifier of an access network element, an equipment identifier of a user plane functional network element, and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the access network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end that communicates through a data stream, and the first information is used to indicate that the transmitting end transmits the data stream through the data stream and also indicate that the receiving end receives the user stream through the data stream; a sending unit 2613, configured to send the first information to a session management function network element.

In a possible implementation, the obtaining unit 2612 is further configured to: acquiring first bandwidth information, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between an access network element and a user plane function network element; and obtaining first information according to the equipment identifier of the access network element, the equipment identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information and the first bandwidth information.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication apparatus further includes a receiving unit 2611, where the receiving unit 2611 is configured to receive, from the session management function network element, the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, and the first indication information.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication apparatus further includes a receiving unit 2611, where the receiving unit 2611 is configured to receive second indication information from the session management function network element, where the second indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side; a sending unit 2613, configured to send the device identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the second indication information to the session management function network element.

Fig. 27 shows a schematic diagram of still another possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment. The communication device 27 includes: a processing module 2722 and a communication module 2723. Optionally, the communication device 27 may further include a storage module 2721. The modules are used to support the communication device to execute the method related to the control device in any one of fig. 11-21H. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

The processing module 2722 is used to control and manage the actions of the communication device 27 or to perform corresponding processing functions, such as the function of the obtaining unit 2212. The communication module 2723 is used to support the communication device 27 to perform the functions of the receiving unit 2611 and the transmitting unit 2613. The storage module 2721 is used to store program codes and/or data of the communication device.

The processing module 2722 may be a processor or a controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The communication module 2723 may be a network interface, a communication interface, or the like. The storage module 2721 may be a memory.

In a possible manner, the processing module 2722 may be the processor 501 in fig. 5, the communication module 2723 may be the communication interface 504 in fig. 5, and the storage module 2721 may be the memory 503 in fig. 5. Wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory, the one or more programs including instructions which, when executed by the communications apparatus, cause the communications apparatus to perform the method relating to the control device of any of figures 11-21H.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory for storing a program, the processor calling the program stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method associated with the control apparatus of any of figures 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium storing one or more programs thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause a communication apparatus to perform a method related to the control device in any of fig. 11 to 21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute a method related to controlling a device in any of fig. 11 to 21H.

Embodiments of the present application provide a chip system, which includes a processor, and is configured to enable a communication device to perform a method related to a control apparatus in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. For example, a session management function network element obtains first information identifying a data stream, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; a session management function network element sends first information to a user plane function network element and/or an access network element; the session management function network element acquires second information, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream at the data network side; and the session management function network element sends the second information to the user plane function network element. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. The chip system may include a chip, an integrated circuit, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It is to be understood that the communication device may be a control device, or may be a component (chip, circuit, or the like) that can be used for the control device.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device, which can be used to execute the function of the UPF network element in the foregoing method. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, the division of the modules in the present application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 28 shows a schematic diagram of a possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment, and the communication device 28 may include: a receiving unit 2811, an acquiring unit 2812, and a transmitting unit 2813. The above units are used to support the communication device to execute the method related to the UPF network element in any of fig. 11 to 18. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again. It should be noted that the above units are optional. For example, the communication device 28 may include a receiving unit 2811, and optionally, the communication device 28 may further include an obtaining unit 2812 and a sending unit 2813.

Illustratively, the receiving unit 2811 is configured to support the communication apparatus 28 to execute the processes S1106 and S1110 in fig. 11, or the processes S1206 and S1210 in fig. 12, or the processes S1307 and S1311 in fig. 13, or the process S1407 in fig. 14, or the processes S1506 and S1510 in fig. 15, or the processes S1602 and S1605 in fig. 16, or the processes S1701 and S1704 in fig. 17, or the process S1803 in fig. 18, or the processes S1907 and S1911 in fig. 19, or the processes S2002, S2004 and S2006 in fig. 20, or the processes S2102102, S2104 and S9 in fig. 21A, or the processes S2102102, S2104 and S2109 in fig. 21B, or the processes S2102, S2104 and S2109 in fig. 21C, or the process S215 in fig. 21G. Acquisition unit 2812 is configured to support communication apparatus 28 to execute process S2153 in fig. 21G. The transmitting unit 2813 is configured to support the communication device 28 to execute the process S1107 in fig. 11, the process S1207 in fig. 12, the process S1308 in fig. 13, the process S1408 in fig. 14, the process S1507 in fig. 15, the processes S1601, S1603, and S1604 in fig. 16, the process S1702 in fig. 17, the processes S1908 and S1911 in fig. 19, and the process S2154 in fig. 21G. All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

In one possible embodiment, the receiving unit 2811 is configured to: receiving first information for identifying a data stream from a session management function network element, wherein the first information is used for indicating a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and also used for indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, the access end is an access network element, the sending end is a user plane function network element, or the access end is the user plane function network element, and the sending end is the access network element; and receiving second information from the session management function network element, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user flow transmitted by the user plane function network element on the data network side.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication apparatus further includes an obtaining unit 2812, where when the second information includes a reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the data network side, the obtaining unit 2812 is configured to obtain, according to the reliable delay transport network identifier of the user stream on the data network side, a port identifier of the user plane functional network element for transporting the user stream on the data network side.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication apparatus further includes a sending unit 2813, configured to send, to the session management function network element, a port identifier of a user stream transmitted by the user plane function network element on the data network side.

Fig. 29 shows a schematic diagram of still another possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment. The communication device 29 includes: a processing module 2922, and a communication module 2923. Optionally, the communication device 29 may further include a storage module 2921. The modules are used to support the communication device to execute the method related to the UPF network element in any one of fig. 11-21H. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

In a possible manner, the processing module 2922 is used to control and manage the actions of the communication device 29 or to perform corresponding processing functions, such as the functions of the obtaining unit 2812. The communication module 2923 is used to support the communication device 29 to execute the functions of the receiving unit 2811 and the transmitting unit 2813. The memory module 2921 is used to store program codes and/or data of the communication device.

The processing module 2922 may be a processor or a controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The communication module 2923 may be a network interface or a communication interface, etc. The storage module 2921 may be a memory.

In a possible manner, the processing module 2922 may be the processor 501 in fig. 5, the communication module 2923 may be the communication interface 504 in fig. 5, and the storage module 2921 may be the memory 503 in fig. 5. Wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method associated with the UPF network element of any of fig. 11-21H.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory storing a program, the processor invoking the program stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform a method associated with a UPF network element of any of fig. 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium storing one or more programs thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause a communication device to perform a method associated with a UPF network element of any of fig. 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute the method related to the UPF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H.

An embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor and is configured to support a communication device to perform a method related to a UPF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. For example, the user plane functional network element receives first information identifying a data stream from the session management functional network element, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send the user stream through the data stream and also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, where the accessing end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane functional network element, or the accessing end is a user plane functional network element and the sending end is an access network element; and the user plane function network element receives second information from the session management function network element, wherein the second information is used for indicating a forwarding rule of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream on the data network side. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. The chip system may include a chip, an integrated circuit, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It is to be understood that the communication device may be a UPF network element, and may also be a component (chip or circuit, etc.) that can be used in the UPF network element.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, which can be used to execute the function of the NRF network element in the foregoing method. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided according to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, the division of the modules in the present application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 30 shows a schematic diagram of a possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment, and the communication device 30 may include: a reception unit 3011 and a transmission unit 3012. The above-mentioned units are used to support the communication device to execute the related method of the NRF network element in any of fig. 11-18. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

Illustratively, the receiving unit 3011 is configured to support the communication device 30 to execute the process S1102 in fig. 11, or the process S1202 in fig. 12, or the process S1302 in fig. 13, or the processes S1402 and S1405 in fig. 14, or the process S1504 in fig. 15, or the process S1601 in fig. 16, or the process S21051 in fig. 21C, or the process S2161 in fig. 21H. The transmitting unit 3012 is configured to support the communication device 30 to execute the process S1103 in fig. 11, or the process S1203 in fig. 12, or the process S1303 in fig. 13, or the processes S1403 and S1406 in fig. 14, or the process S1505 in fig. 15, or the process S21031 in fig. 21B, or the processes S21031 and S21052 in fig. 21C, or the processes S2162 and S2163 in fig. 21H. All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

In a possible implementation manner, the receiving unit 3011 is configured to receive first indication information from a session management function network element, where the first indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side; the access network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, or the access network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream; a sending unit 3012, configured to send, to the session management function network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the first indication information.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit 3012 is further configured to send, to the session management network element, first information, where the first information is used to indicate a port of the user plane function network element for transmitting the user stream on the data network side.

Fig. 31 shows a schematic diagram of still another possible structure of the communication device according to the above embodiment. The communication device 31 includes: a processing module 3122, a communication module 3123. Optionally, the communication device 31 may further include a storage module 3121. The above modules are used to support the communication device to execute the related method of the NRF network element in any of fig. 11-21H. The communication device provided by the present application is configured to execute the corresponding method provided above, and therefore, the corresponding features and the achieved beneficial effects thereof refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein again.

In a possible manner, the processing module 3122 is used for controlling and managing the actions of the communication device 31 or executing corresponding processing functions. The communication module 3123 is used to support the communication device 31 to perform the functions of the receiving unit 3011 and the transmitting unit 3012. The storage module 3121 is used for storing program codes and/or data of the communication apparatus.

The processing module 3122 may be a processor or a controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The communication module 3123 may be a network interface or a communication interface, etc. The storage module 3121 may be a memory.

In a possible manner, the processing module 3122 may be the processor 501 in fig. 5, the communication module 3123 may be the communication interface 504 in fig. 5, and the storage module 3121 may be the memory 503 in fig. 5. Wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method relating to the NRF network element of any of figures 11-21H.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication apparatus, including: a processor and a memory, the memory for storing a program, the processor invoking the program stored by the memory to cause the communications apparatus to perform a method associated with the NRF network element of any of figures 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium storing one or more programs thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause a communication device to perform a method related to the NRF network element in any of fig. 11-21H.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a communication apparatus, cause the communication apparatus to execute the related method of the NRF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H.

An embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor and is configured to enable a communication device to perform a method related to an NRF network element in any one of fig. 11 to 21H. For example, the network function storage function network element receives first indication information from the session management function network element, wherein the first indication information comprises at least one of: the device identification of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification between the access network element and the user plane function network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side, and the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side; the access network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, or the access network element is a transmitting end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream, and the user plane functional network element is a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through the data stream; and the network function storage function network element sends the equipment identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the first indication information to the session management function network element. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. The chip system may include a chip, an integrated circuit, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It is to be understood that the communication device may be an NRF network element, and may also be a component (chip or circuit, etc.) that can be used for the NRF network element.

It should be understood that, in the various embodiments of the present application, the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes do not mean the execution sequence, and the execution sequence of each process should be determined by its function and inherent logic, and should not constitute any limitation to the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware or combinations of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the implementation. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that for convenience and brevity of description, the specific operations of the system, apparatus and units described above may be referred to the corresponding operations in the foregoing method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the units is only one logical functional division, and other divisions may be realized in practice, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted, or not executed. In addition, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may be in an electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.

In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit.

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. The procedures or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the present application are all or partially generated upon loading and execution of computer program instructions on a computer. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a network of computers, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored on a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another, for example, from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wire (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or can comprise one or more data storage devices, such as a server, a data center, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy Disk, hard Disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., Solid State Disk (SSD)), among others.

The above description is only for the specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of the changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present application, and shall be covered by the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

a session management function network element acquires first information for identifying a data stream, wherein the first information is used for indicating a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream and is also used for indicating a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element, and the transmitting end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is the user plane functional network element, and the transmitting end is the access network element;

the session management function network element sends the first information to the user plane function network element and/or the access network element;

the session management function network element acquires second information, wherein the second information is used for indicating the user plane function network element to transmit the forwarding rule of the user stream at the data network side;

and the session management function network element sends the second information to the user plane function network element.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining, by the session management function network element, the first information identifying the data stream comprises:

the session management function network element sends an equipment identifier of the access network element, an equipment identifier of the user plane function network element and first indication information to a control device, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the access network element is the sending end or the receiving end;

and the session management function network element receives the first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element and the first indication information from the control device.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, further comprising:

the session management function network element sends first bandwidth information to the control device, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the access network element and the user plane function network element;

the receiving, by the session management function network element, the first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, and the first indication information from the control device includes: the session management function network element receives, from the control device, the first information corresponding to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information, and the first bandwidth information.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, further comprising:

the session management function network element receives second bandwidth information from a terminal device, wherein the second bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal device;

and the session management function network element obtains the first bandwidth information according to the second bandwidth information.

5. The communication method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

and the session management function network element obtains the first indication information according to second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating terminal equipment to send or receive the user stream.

6. The communication method according to claim 5, further comprising:

and the session management function network element receives the second indication information from the terminal equipment.

7. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining, by the session management function network element, the first information identifying the data stream comprises:

and the session management function network element receives the first information from the control equipment.

8. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

the session management function network element obtains the device identifier of the user plane function network element according to third indication information, where the third indication information includes at least one of the following information: the device identifier of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier between the access network element and the user plane functional network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the data network side, and the service information of the user stream in the network at the data network side.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, wherein the obtaining, by the session management function network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element according to the third indication information includes:

the session management function network element sends the third indication information to the first network element;

the session management function network element receives, from the first network element, an equipment identifier of a user plane function network element corresponding to the third indication information;

the first network element is a network function storage function network element or a control device.

10. The communication method according to claim 8, further comprising:

and the session management function network element receives the third indication information from the access network element or the access and mobility management network element.

11. The communication method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the obtaining of the second information by the session management function network element comprises:

the session management function network element receives the second information from at least one of the following network elements: a network function storage function network element, a control device, an application function network element at the data network side, or a centralized user configuration network element at the data network side.

12. The communication method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the obtaining of the second information by the session management function network element comprises:

and the session management functional network element obtains the second information according to the information for identifying the user flow or the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side.

13. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second information includes:

a reliable time delay transmission network identification of said user stream at said data network side,

alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the user plane functional network element transmits the port identification of the user flow at the data network side,

wherein, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user flow at the data network side is associated with the port identifier of the user plane function network element at the data network side.

14. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

and the session management function network element receives third bandwidth information from the terminal equipment, wherein the third bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and the data network side.

15. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

the session management function network element receives third information from a terminal device or a server on the data network side, where the third information includes at least one of the following information: the identification of the user flow, the target Media Access Control (MAC) address of the user flow and the flow characteristics of the user flow;

and the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element or an application function network element at the data network side or a centralized user configuration network element at the data network side.

16. A method of communication, comprising:

a terminal device sends first indication information to a session management function network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send or receive a user stream and determining that an access network element is a sending end or a receiving end for transmitting the user stream through a data stream, and the first indication information is used for creating the user stream;

the terminal equipment sends at least one of the following information to the session management function network element: the identification of the user flow, the destination MAC address of the user flow, and the flow characteristics of the user flow.

17. The communication method according to claim 16, further comprising:

and the terminal equipment sends first bandwidth information to the session management function network element, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream of the terminal equipment or bandwidth information of the user stream transmitted between the user plane function network element and a data network side.

18. The communication method according to claim 17, further comprising:

and the terminal equipment sends the reliable time delay transmission network identification of the user flow at the data network side and/or the service information of the user flow in the network at the data network side to the session management function network element.

19. A method of communication, comprising:

the method comprises the steps that a control device obtains first information for identifying a data stream according to a device identifier of an access network element, a device identifier of a user plane function network element and first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the access network element is a sending end or a receiving end communicating through the data stream, the first information is used for indicating that the sending end sends the user stream through the data stream, and the receiving end receives the user stream through the data stream;

and the control equipment sends the first information to a session management function network element.

20. The communication method according to claim 19,

the communication method further comprises: the control device obtains first bandwidth information, wherein the first bandwidth information is bandwidth information of a user stream transmitted between the access network element and the user plane function network element;

the control device obtains first information for identifying the data stream according to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element and the first indication information, and the method comprises the following steps: the control device obtains the first information according to the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element, the first indication information and the first bandwidth information.

21. The communication method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

and the control device receives the device identifier of the access network element, the device identifier of the user plane function network element and the first indication information from the session management function network element.

22. The communication method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the communication method further comprises:

the control device receives second indication information from the session management function network element, wherein the second indication information comprises at least one of the following information: the device identifier of the access network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier between the access network element and the user plane functional network element, the reliable time delay transmission network identifier of the user stream at the data network side, and the service information of the user stream in the network at the data network side;

and the control device sends the device identifier of the user plane function network element corresponding to the second indication information to the session management function network element.

23. A method of communication, comprising:

a user plane functional network element receives first information for identifying a data stream from a session management functional network element, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send the user stream through the data stream and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, where the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is the user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is the user plane functional network element and the sending end is the access network element;

and the user plane function network element receives second information from the session management function network element, wherein the second information is used for indicating the user plane function network element to transmit the forwarding rule of the user stream on the data network side.

24. The communication method according to claim 23, wherein the second information includes:

alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

25. A communications apparatus, comprising:

an obtaining unit, configured to obtain first information identifying a data stream, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream, and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream; the receiving end is an access network element, and the transmitting end is a user plane functional network element, or the receiving end is the user plane functional network element, and the transmitting end is the access network element;

a sending unit, configured to send the first information acquired by the acquiring unit to the user plane function network element and/or the access network element;

the obtaining unit is further configured to obtain second information, where the second information is used to instruct the user plane functional network element to transmit a forwarding rule of the user stream on a data network side;

the sending unit is further configured to send the second information to the user plane function network element.

26. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a sending unit, configured to send first indication information to a session management function network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate a terminal device to send or receive a user stream, and is used to determine that an access network element is a sending end or a receiving end that transmits the user stream through a data stream, and the first indication information is used to create the user stream;

the sending unit is further configured to send at least one of the following information to the session management function network element: the identification of the user flow, the destination MAC address of the user flow, and the flow characteristics of the user flow.

27. A communications apparatus, comprising:

an obtaining unit, configured to obtain first information for identifying a data stream according to an equipment identifier of an access network element, an equipment identifier of a user plane function network element, and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the access network element is a transmitting end or a receiving end that communicates through the data stream, and the first information is used to indicate that the transmitting end transmits a user stream through the data stream, and is also used to indicate that the receiving end receives the user stream through the data stream;

and the sending unit is used for sending the first information acquired by the acquiring unit to a session management function network element.

28. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a receiving unit, configured to receive first information identifying a data stream from a session management function network element, where the first information is used to instruct a sending end to send a user stream through the data stream, and is also used to instruct a receiving end to receive the user stream through the data stream, where the receiving end is an access network element and the sending end is a user plane function network element, or the receiving end is the user plane function network element and the sending end is the access network element;

the receiving unit is further configured to receive second information from the session management function network element, where the second information is used to instruct the user plane function network element to transmit a forwarding rule of the user stream on a data network side.

29. A storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for implementing a communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, or for implementing a communication method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, or for implementing a communication method according to any one of claims 19 to 22, or for implementing a communication method according to any one of claims 23 to 24 when executed by a processor.